


the sun, the stars, and you

by dansaeg_hwa



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Asexual Character, Bad Jokes, Crossdressing, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, M/M, Photography, Pining, Volleyball, character injury, i guess, past oikawa/ushijima, the rest is just fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-25
Updated: 2015-08-25
Packaged: 2018-04-17 06:43:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4656669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dansaeg_hwa/pseuds/dansaeg_hwa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hajime, a photography student, meets Oikawa through mutual friends and chooses him to be his model for a project. After realizing they like each other after a bit of pining, they manage to work it out despite both of them being clueless when it comes to relationships.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the sun, the stars, and you

**Author's Note:**

> hello~  
> I'm back with another dumb iwaoi fic that took me soo long to write  
> *cries* why can I never write anything serious  
> I did thoroughly check the whole test, but I apologize for any typos I left out  
> I don't even know what this is, but enjoy c:  
> (the italics are Iwaizumi's thoughts)

Hajime doesn't regret taking photography class. No. He absolutely doesn't.  
  
Okay-  
  
He does a little bit. He thought that it'd be easy. Take pictures of things, edit them, hand them in, maybe display them in the school's halls. But he definitely wasn't expecting projects like this. Why would he needs to make friends for a mark? This is just stupid.  
  
Hajime sighs and looks at the handout again, scanning the text printed on it in black, accusing-looking letters. He's sitting on a bench outside, in the school's courtyard, waiting for his classmates to finish. He idly fiddles with his camera as he reads the paper for the hundredth time, once again having doubts about his choice of classes.  
  
'30-day project, 'Friendship'', the title says, and the text goes on with 'meet someone new, and document the progress of your relationship by taking a picture every day for a month.'  
  
"This is bullshit.", Hajime grumbles and folds the paper, stuffing it in his bag carelessly. He turns on his camera and snaps a few pictures of the clouds and the big tree in the middle of courtyard, almost bare of all its leaves that are now gathered on the ground. "Where am I supposed to find a person who'd want to talk to me, and model for me?"  
  
Hajime isn't good at talking to people. He never was. He has a few close friends, all of them from childhood, when he was just a carefree child. Everything was easy back then. Now, Hajime keeps himself distant, and only really talks to like five people. He guesses it's mutual, and strangers don't want to talk to him either. Matsukawa told him it's because he glares too much. Hajime said that it's just how his face is.  
  
He manages to snap a few more pictures before he hears footsteps and Hanamaki's loud voice approaching him. He puts his camera away and makes room on the bench. The two boys join him, sitting on either side of him, Matsukawa throwing an arm around his shoulders. Hajime tries to not look bothered by it.  
  
"Yo, Iwaizumi!"  
  
They were never on the first-name basis. Even though they are close, Hajime felt uncomfortable to be called by his first name, and to call someone else by theirs. People told him it's weird, that friends call each other by their first name, but Hajime doesn't see why. He never liked his first name anyway.  
  
"You seem kinda down. Everything okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine." Hajime crosses ankles and inspects his shoes. "How was history?"  
  
"Geh, don't even ask." Hanamaki leans his head back, staring up at the sky. There are more clouds than there were before, Hajime notes. Is it going to rain? "How was photography class?"  
  
"Eh.. fine? Matsukawa, can I hang out at your place again? I need to edit some stuff and my little sister is at home.."  
  
Matsukawa waves a hand dismissively. "Sure, sure, you don't have to ask. Ah, I'm not sure if my new flatmate is going to be home.. you need peace and quiet for work, right? He's kinda loud.."  
  
Hajime laughs. "Ah, it's okay. I'm sure he's not that bad."  
  
"If you say so.. Makki, are you coming too?" Matsukawa turns to the other boy.  
  
"Yeah. I need some notes from Oikawa."  
  
Oikawa? Hajime doesn't know anyone named Oikawa. Maybe he's the new roommate?  
  
"Then.." He stands up and slings his bag over his shoulder. "Let's go?"  
  
The three of them walk to Matsukawa's apartment. Hajime takes his usual place on the couch and turns on his laptop, opening a program and plugging in his camera to edit the pictures for his previous assignment. While he's pulling the cables out of his bag, the paper from class falls out. Ah, I forgot about that.  
  
"Matsukawa?", he calls out, and the raven turns from where he's pouring drinks into glasses.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"This is weird, but.. do you know anyone who'd be willing to be friends with me and who like to have their picture taken? And preferably if they were attractive as well. I need a model."  
  
"Hmm?" Matsukawa leans against the kitchen counter. "Is it for a project?"  
  
"Yes. It's weird-"  
  
"Loves to have their picture taken, huh? I guess.. my roommate is pretty narcissistic. But he's not one to look for a relationship. I'd need something to persuade him.."  
  
"Huh? W-wait, I didn't say anything like that-"  
  
Hajime doesn't have time to say anything else, because at that moment, the front door clicks open and a male voice is calling out 'I'm home!' before slamming the door shut. Matsukawa grins and tugs Hanamaki close to him, whispering something into the other's ear. They smirk at each other and then slowly walk behind Hajime.  
  
"Hey.. what are you plotting?"  
  
"Don't worry, Iwaizumi, we'll take care of everything. He's ace but I think he'd be interested.''  
  
Before Hajime even realizes what that meant, Hanamaki forces his jacket off him while Matsukawa runs into the hallway, cupping his hands around his lips and yelling.  
  
"Oikawa! Come and look at these guns!"  
  
"What the fuck-" Hajime tries to somehow pry his jacket from Hanamaki's fingers, but freezes when he notices movement in the doorway and turns his head to inspect the newcomer.  
  
A tall guy walks in, leaning his slender body against the door frame and crossing his arms. Hajime studies him carefully, his eyes following the soft curls of brown hair, pinned back from his face by hair clips, the lifted brows, wide hazel eyes, the soft curve of his nose and the plush set of lips, curled up into an easy-going smile. He thanks Hanamaki and Matsukawa for having such a good taste- or, for having attractive friends, because this guy was beautiful. He could definitely pass as a model, his height and built is good, all lean angles and sharp features. His fashion sense isn't bad either- a white v-neck and a plaid shirt that is a bit big on him, the hem brushing the pocket seam of his light washed skinny jeans. The clothes are all complimentary colours, and Hajime wonders if someone chose this outfit for him or if the guy just has a good eye and knows what suits him.  
  
The guy straightens up and walks into the room, the soles of his white sneakers quietly padding against the floor.  
  
"Hm? Whose guns? You know I'm not interested in that sort of thing.", he says, his voice pleasant and a bit on the teasing side. He finally notices Hajime, and his eyes wander to his arms before raising back to the raven's face and offering him a grin. "I didn't know we had a guest, Mattsun."  
  
He looks around for a free seat, and upon finding none, he shrugs to himself and eases down onto the carpet, crossing his long legs and looking extremely comfortable down there. Hajime swears he's not gay, he had a girlfriend just a few weeks before this, but looking at the brunet, he's really starting to question himself, because the guy really is gorgeous, and Hajime probably wants to do some stuff with him-  _no dirty thoughts._  
  
"Iwaizumi, that's Oikawa Tooru, my super annoying flatmate."  
  
_Nice introduction_ , Hajime thinks. Oikawa waves at him, a big smile plastered on his face, and then pouts at Matsukawa, huffing "You're mean, Mattsun!"  
  
"Well, you're annoying. Iwaizumi's looking for a model, so I thought I'd introduce you two."             
  
"Hmm? You're a photographer?" Hajime notices Oikawa's eyes wandering to his hands and studying his fingers for a moment, before his gaze snaps back up to his face.  
  
"I- I am. A photographer. And I was looking for a model, but.." Hajime trails off looks the brunet straight in the eye, making the other blush a bit. "I think I found one now."  
  
"I'm just gonna-" Hanamaki points to the door, and grabs Matsukawa's elbow. "Give you, eh, some time. Y'know." He drags the other behind him and them shuts the door, enveloping the room in silence.  
  
Oikawa looks up at Hajime and props his elbows on his knees, leaning his chin into his hands. "Well, look at you, all smooth. Do you really think I'm suitable, Photographer-kun?"  
  
"It's Iwaizumi. Iwaizumi Hajime. And yes, I do think that."  
  
"I'm Oikawa Tooru."  
  
Oikawa brushes some stray hairs from his face and flips out his phone from his pocket, seemingly losing interest in his surroundings.  _Man, what a douchebag. Just when I was beginning to like him_. Hajime sighs and turns on his laptop, hoping to get some work done since he's here, invading Matsukawa's (and Oikawa's) apartment.  
  
"So, tell me about your photography class. I'm gonna be a model for a project, right?"  
  
Hajime's eyes shoot up from the screen of his laptop, resting on Oikawa, who still hasn't looked up from his phone. Okay, so he's not an asshole and is actually interested?  
  
"It's, um.. It's a 30-day project. We're supposed to meet someone new, and take pictures every day, to see how our relationship evolves. And then make a collage."  
  
"Oh? Sounds interesting." Oikawa's eyes are still fixed on his phone, and his fingers are moving across the screen rapidly, seemingly typing.  
  
"I'll pay you, of course.."  
  
"No." Oikawa taps his phone once and then raises a hand to stop Hajime. "I mean, it's not like you're offering me an actual job. I'm just doing you a favour."  
  
"But.. You're not getting anything out of this."  
  
"Yes I am. I get to model."  
  
Hajime laughs. "No, you don't. I don't want to pose. I want all the pictures to be natural." Oikawa's face falls a little at that, so Hajime quickly thinks of something else he could give him besides money. "I could buy you coffee? Or lunch?"  
  
"Ooh, buy me food and I'm yours." Oikawa starts typing again, but Hajime notices that the grin never leaves his face. He nods.  
  
"Okay then. It's settled. The project starts tomorrow, so.. Let's meet at the campus. What classes do you have?"  
  
"Hmm.." Oikawa puts his phone away and twirls his finger around a lock of hair. The motion makes Hajime's fingers itch to either take a picture or touch Oikawa's hair. "I only have practice in the morning.."  
  
"Practice?.. You play volleyball, right?" That's what it meant, right?  
  
"Huh? How'd you know?" Oikawa's eyes snap up, face surprised.  
  
"Matsukawa told me. What position do you play?"  
  
"Oh?" Oikawa takes a hair clip between his thumb and index finger, pulling it out of his hair. His bangs fall over his forehead. Fuck. "You play too? I'm a setter."  
  
Setter?  _Maybe_   _I.. It meant something else?_  "I used to play in high school."  
  
Oikawa smiles at him and runs a hand through his hair, messing it up.  _God fucking damn it-_. Hajime gulps and turns his attention back to his work, choosing filters for a picture of the beach he took the other day. Well, this was easy. He didn't think Oikawa would agree that easily. And he didn't ask anything else too. He guesses he should tell him a bit more..  
  
"Um, I have some conditions. For the project."  
  
Oikawa's hand pauses from grabbing his phone again, telling Hajime that he's listening.  
  
"We have to meet every day for a month. No matter what."  
  
Oikawa nods. "Alright, that's fine. I like going out."  
  
"Are you okay with me taking a picture of you whenever I feel like it?"  
  
"What, like when I'm not looking or something?"  
  
Hajime shakes his head. "That too. But.. Well, some people feel uncomfortable when they eat, or when they're sleeping…"  
  
"Oh. Yes, that's okay."  
  
"And,  uhm.. I.. Just because we're doing this doesn't mean we're friends.. Or that we're in a relationship. I don't know about you, but it takes me a while to get to know someone, so.. Don't expect anything from this. Sorry if that sounded harsh."  
  
Oikawa's smile softens. "No, you're right. Well, it's not like I'm looking for a partner or anything. I'm not really good at this whole relationship anyway. I always let people down." He fiddles with the hem of his shirt. "So, uhm.. let's be friends?"  
  
"Yeah." Hajime sets his laptop aside and leans forward, stretching out an arm. "I look forward to working with you."  
  
Oikawa takes his hand slowly, squeezing it gently. "Me too."  
  
Hajime realizes too late that held onto Oikawa's hand for too long. _I'm fucked._

 

  **xxxXxxx**

 

"Next question. My turn?"

  
"No, my turn. Hmm.. Do you have any siblings?"  
  
"How original, Iwa-chan."  
  
A week later after their first meeting finds Hajime and Oikawa spending their afternoon in a cafe, sipping coffee (if that's what you can call the literal cup of sugar Oikawa ordered), sharing a chocolate muffin and playing '20 questions'. Well, Hajime supposes it's better than taking care of his sister. At least they got to know each other better. And he managed to get some nice pictures too. So far he knows that Oikawa is twenty, from Miyagi, likes milkbread, takes the Modern Art and Social Studies class and has volleyball practice every day. They're avoidig the topic of relationships, but Hajime feels like it's going to come soon. And if Oikawa's not going to ask, he is.  
  
"I have an older sister, and a little nephew." Oikawa rests his chin in his palm and sips his coffee. "You? That doesn't count as my next question, by the way."  
  
Hajime laughs, turning off his camera and placing it on the table next to him. He just took a picture of the brunet eating a piece of cheesecake, and the result looks strangely artistic and deep.  
  
"I have a little sister. She's really fucking loud and too hyper, that's why I'm always at Matsukawa's apartment." He watches Oikawa smile at that, and reaches for the sugar packets. "What's your next question?"  
  
"Do you have a girlfriend?"  
  
Ah. There it is.  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Oh." Oikawa looks relieved. Hajime wonders why. But then the brunet frowns. "Boyfriend?"  
  
"That counts as two questions. And no, I'm single."  
  
"Did it feel weird when I asked you if you had a boyfriend? It only counts as one."  
  
"No, it didn't. Because I'm not entirely straight. But for some reason, it felt more weird when you asked me if I had a girlfriend."  
  
Oikawa's eyes widen, before he's laughing and nearly choking on the cake he was chewing. "Oh. Well then, sorry for making you feel uncomfortable."  
  
"It's fine. My turn. How long has it been since you were in a relationship?"  
  
"Hmm.." Oikawa's eyes wander around the room. He's obviously giving this question some thought. "About.. half a year ago? I guess?"  
  
"You don't remember?"  
  
"Well.. that was my first and only relationship so far. And it was great, at first. But.." Oikawa ducks his head and plays with his fingers. "I don't like talking about it..sorry-"  
  
"No, no." Hajime shakes his head. He wants to take Oikawa's hands in his own and tell him it's okay. Now he's upset him.  _Good going._  "Don't apologize, I don't want you to talk about something that makes you feel uneasy. But.. that was your first relationship? I'm surprised."  
  
"I told you before, didn't I? I wasn't really interested in that sort of thing. Platonic stuff is enough for me."  
  
"Right." Hajime feels awkward, all of a sudden. "Your turn."  
  
"Are you a virgin?"  
  
He nearly chokes on his coffee. Oikawa chuckles. Well, at least he's laughing again. "That's very straightforward. No, I'm not. Are you? That doesn't count as a question."  
  
Oikawa purses his lips. "I.. well, I almost am. It depends on how you define the word 'virgin'. I have done, um, things, though."  
  
"Okay." This conversation is getting really awkward. He should choose another topic.."My turn."  _Another topic, Hajime._  "Are you gay?"  _Good fucking job._  
  
Oikawa seems unfazed by the question. "Yes.", he answers simply.  
  
"So, your partner was a guy?"  
  
"Mm." Oikawa finishes his coffee and reaches for the bottle of water they bought, taking a sip from it.  
  
"Have you seen him after you broke up?" The cup clinks against the table when Hajime sets it down. The sound is too loud. Oikawa winces a little.  
  
"I have to see him every day. He's on my volleyball team."  
  
"Ah, I see. That must be pretty hard."  
  
Oikawa shrugs. Doesn't say anything. He's tense, Hajime notices.  
  
"I'm sorry. We don't have to talk about it. You said you didn't want to, and yet I'm forcing you to. It's too personal, isn't it? We can talk about something else-"  
  
Oikawa stops Hajime's rambling with a shake of his head. His hair bounces around his ears lightly with the motion. Hajime finds himself wanting to touch it again.  
  
"It's fine. It doesn't matter anymore. I should be okay to talk about it now." He gives Hajime a small smile, but it's strained. "You can ask more, if you want. I know you're curious."  
  
Hajime carefully studies Oikawa's face. He knows what he wants to ask, yet he takes a moment before opening his mouth and saying "Why did you break up?"  
  
He watches Oikawa. Waits for a reaction. He knows that was the worst question he could've asked. Oikawa's eyes don't leave the smooth surface of the table. His face is emotionless.  
  
"Sorry.", he says quietly. "I can't tell you that yet. That's the one thing I'm not prepared to discuss yet." He raises his head to look at Hajime.  
  
"That's okay. I shouldn't have asked." He finishes the muffin quickly, and starts gathering his things. "Are you ready to go?"  
  
Oikawa nods, putting his jacket on and slinging his bag over his shoulder. They walk outside, into the chilly afternoon air. Hajime keeps his head turned slightly so he can watch Oikawa. The brunet is looking up at the sky, hands by his sides, eyes fluttering closed for a moment. His fingers brush against Hajime's, the touch so brief he almost doesn't register it. It was probably accidental, but Hajime finds himself twisting his wrist and stroking his thumb over Oikawa's palm lightly. The brunet turns his head to look at Hajime, and then slips his fingers between Hajime's, settling them over the raven's knuckles and giving his hand a squeeze. So it wasn't accidental? Well, never mind that. Hajime suddenly feels much better.  
  
"It's still early.", Oikawa break the comfortable silence, lightly swinging their joined hands between them. "Do you want to go to the beach?"  
  
"Sure." Hajime stuffs his other hand into his pocket. "Wanna continue the game?"  
  
"Of course! It's my turn now, I believe.."  
  
As they walk to the beach, the conversation flows steadily between them, going through many different topics and reaching way past twenty questions each. They discuss both their childhoods, high school life, volleyball, embarrassing first crushes.  Favourite animals, colours, weather, feelings. What they want to do once they finish college. Which films made them cry. What music made them feel calm.  
  
Hajime learns a lot about Oikawa during this walk. Oikawa tells him that he was popular in both middle and high school. That he played volleyball as long as he could remember. That he believed he was the best in his team until a first-year student joined, a boy who was naturally talented and better than him, and he made Oikawa lose confidence in the only thing he was good at. That when they lost for the first time, against a team stronger than them, Oikawa was thinking about quitting volleyball. When he left for high school, he was doing okay. And he practiced hard every day, to get better, and stronger, stronger than the team he lost against. When they fought against them again, Oikawa was very confident and sure about winning, and that was what broke him when he lost. "I believed in myself too much.", Oikawa says. "I knew that there were five other people who I could trust on the court, yet I played all by myself." He goes on explaining that when he joined the college's volleyball team, he wasn't expecting that genius first-year from Kitagawa Daiichi to be there, but he definitely wasn't expecting Shiratorizawa's captain. And then, Oikawa's hate for him softened, and they started dating. As Oikawa's story was reaching its end, he stopped, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly and saying "But enough about me!". Hajime understands that the part about their break-up was following, so he asks him some random questions to make him forget about the one topic that made him feel uneasy.  
  
Oikawa says that he has never had a crush on anyone. That his favourite animals were foxes, and that he has a cat, but since pets aren't allowed in his apartment, his mother is taking care of it.  
  
"A cat? What's it called?"  
  
"Aah.. don't ask me that." Oikawa looks away, a blush dusting his cheeks. "It's embarrassing."  
  
"Come on, it can't be that bad. What, did you name it after a film character or something?"  
  
"..'ora."  
  
"Huh?" Hajime leans closer so he can hear properly.  
  
"He's called Sora, okay? I like Kingdom Hearts. And, he kinda looks like.. I mean, he has brown fur and stuff.."  
  
What a dork. Getting all flustered over a cat. "Sora, huh? That's actually kinda cute."  
  
"Shut up." Oikawa elbows him lightly in the side.  
  
''I'm not laughing at you. I do think it's cute." Hajime takes a bite from the waffle they bought to share, and passes it to Oikawa. "You like video games? Maybe we could play sometime."  
  
"Sure, we have an X-Box. Technically, it's Mattsun's, but I use it more often than him."  
  
"I'm not surprised, with how much free time you have. You came to college to slack off, right?"  
  
Oikawa twists his head to glare at him. There's some whipped cream on the tip of his nose. "I'm not slacking off. I just chose classes I'm interested in. It's not like you're taking important classes either."  
  
"Excuse me, I'm taking Medicine."  
  
"Oh?" Oikawa's eyebrows lift up. The cream is still there. "Do you want to be a doctor?"  
  
"Maybe. Well, not a doctor. A sport therapist."  
  
"Hmm? Interesting." Oikawa smiles, taking another bite and smearing more cream on his nose.  
  
"What do you want to do? Play volleyball?"  
  
Oikawa nods. "Yeah. Make it to the national team. And if that doesn't work out, then.. work in an office or something."  
  
"Sounds boring,"  
  
"Yeah, but.. it pays, y'know."  
  
Hajime hums, turning his camera on and taking a few pictures of the sea once they get to the pier. It's not very crowded, which is usual for autumn, since it gets cold and rains a lot. There are a few couples walking down on the beach, and Hajime finds himself gripping Oikawa's hand tighter. He drops his camera, letting it hang across his neck, and stops, making Oikawa turn around and look at him with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Come here.", Hajime says with a light smile. Oikawa makes a questioning noise, but walks closer until his chest is nearly pressing against Hajime's. The raven slowly raises a hand and touches Oikawa's nose with the tip of his finger, wiping the cream off. He brings the finger down in front of Oikawa's face to show him. "You had some on your face."  
  
Oikawa laughs, eyes crinkling slightly at the corners, cheeks slightly pink - whether from the cold or from Hajime's actions, the raven can't tell. "Thank you."  
  
"No problem. Wouldn't want you walking around looking like an idiot."  
  
And Hajime brings his hand to his lips, sucking the whipped cream off his finger, all the while looking Oikawa in the eyes. Now the brunet is definitely blushing.  
  
"I - is it gone?", he stutters out, fingers of his free hand twisting over the hem of his sleeve.  
  
Even though Oikawa's face is spotless, Hajime reaches up again and swipes his finger lightly over the corner of the brunet's lips. "Now it's gone. And you're cute when you blush." He's sure he's blushing too.  
  
"I - Iwa-chan! Don't say things like that!" Oikawa sputters, twisting his body away and walking again. Hajime quickly catches up, chuckling quietly. "You're giving off the wrong vibe."  
  
"Huh? What do you mean?"  
  
"We're friends, right? Friends don't do stuff like that."  
  
"Oikawa, we're literally holding hands right now."  
  
The brunet looks away, staring at the sea, wind ruffling his hair gently. Hajime snaps a few pictures. They walk in silence, still holding hands, entering the pier and finding a bench to sit on. Oikawa pulls a scarf from his bag, wrapping it around his neck loosely. Hajime takes more pictures.  
  
"I thought you said one picture a day."  
  
"I want to do five or four pictures a day. It's gonna look better. Plus, I need to take a lot of pictures and then choose the best ones."  
  
"Sounds like hard work. You'll be sick of me by the end of the month."  
  
"Why?" Hajime pulls their joined hands into his lap, playing with Oikawa's fingers.  
  
"Because you already have so many pictures of me."  
  
"I don't mind having pictures of you. You're very good looking."  
  
Oikawa is quiet. He's tensing up, and his hand goes rigid, like he wants to pull away. Hajime loosens his fingers just in case. But the brunet keeps his hand enveloped in Hajime's, and slumps against him with a sigh. "Stop with the compliments, Hajime."  
  
Hajime ducks his head to see Oikawa's face better, but it's hidden by his scarf. He doesn't register that Oikawa used his first name. He doesn't reply, stroking his thumb over Oikawa's knuckles.  
  
As they sit there in silence, pressed against each other and staring off into the distance, Hajime tries to sort out his thoughts. He doesn't understand what they were doing, or mainly, what Oikawa was doing. Why did he grab his hand? And why is he still holding it? They both made it very clear that they weren't looking for a relationship, and they've known each other for only a week. Their meeting was forced. Oikawa is just doing him a favor. Right? They've been hanging out like this all week, yet today seemed different. This seemed like a date. But.. Hajime shakes his mildly. He must be imagining it. Maybe they just both crave human contact?  _Yes, that must be it._  
  
"Ah."  
  
Next to him, Oikawa makes a small sound of surprise, and Hajime twists his head to see the brunet looking up, holding out a hand. A raindrop lands on Oikawa's eyebrow, and he closes his eyes, tilting his head back, a smile stretching across his face.  
  
"You like rain?", Hajime asks him. He tries to remember if he has an umbrella with him.  
  
"Mm. But.. we should probably get going." Oikawa stands up and pulls Hajime to his feet as well. He reaches into his bag and pulls out an umbrella, opening it above their heads. When they walk off the pier, Hajime notices the cold wind that's blowing from the sea. They were shielded by the building on the pier before, but now he's shivering a little. So much for the sunny and warm weather forecast. Oikawa must've noticed Hajime's discomfort, because he hands him the umbrella and stops walking.  
  
"Do you want my jacket?"  
  
"Well.. will you be okay?"  
  
Oikawa smiles. "Don't worry, I have a sweater underneath." To prove it, he unzips his jacket to show Hajime a thick-looking cardigan.  
  
"Came prepared, huh? In that case, please let me borrow it or I'm gonna freeze."  
  
Oikawa takes off the coat and takes the umbrella back while Hajime puts the jacket on and is tempted to pull the hood over his head too. The brunet tightens the scarf around his chin a little and turns to look back at him. "How is it? Does it fit?"  
  
"Yeah. Thanks."  
  
Oikawa just nods and waits for Hajime to catch up, angling the umbrella so they both fit under it. They turn around a corner and walk into the boulevard, lit up by street lamps and  lampions stretched from one side of the street to the other. It's very crowded, and Hajime can feel Oikawa's hand tightening around the fabric of his sleeve.  
  
"Is it a festival?", Hajime wonders, looking around for posters of signs.  
  
"It doesn't have to be. The boulevard looks like this almost every night."  
  
"Huh, really? Ah, well, I've been here only during the day, so.."  
  
Oikawa laughs. "You don't go out in the evenings much, do you?"  
  
"Not really. Mostly I've still studying or I'm too tired to do anything."  
  
"Ah? Well, I guess medicine is a hard class, right?"  
  
"You have no idea. Oh, wait… hang on."  
  
They reach a less crowded area which is no longer pedestrian-only and Hajime moves around Oikawa to walk on his other side, taking the umbrella in his hand. Oikawa gives him a questioning look.  
  
"It's dangerous to walk near the road." Hajime points to his side. "Plus, there are puddles. You might get dirty."  
  
Oikawa's eyes widen, and then he's pulling the scarf up over his nose, tilting his head away. "You're so nice.", he mumbles.  
  
Hajime smiles, ducking his head to see Oikawa's face. "Are you blushing?"  
  
Oikawa's head snaps back and he glares at Hajime, cheeks red. "Of course I'm not, what am I, a high school girl?"  
  
"You're not too far from being one.", Hajime remarks.  
  
"Shut.." Oikawa's palm lands on Hajime's arm with a slap. "..up."  
  
"See, I told you."  
  
"Okay, okay." Oikawa brings both his hands up to wave them in front of his face. "Forget about me saying you're nice, you're the worst!" He stuffs his hands in the pockets of his cardigan. "But still, who does that nowadays, not letting someone walk close to the road. I didn't know people still did that."  
  
"Hey, I'm just being considerate."  
  
"It's weird." Oikawa's words are muffled by a car passing by. Hajime leans in closer to hear better.  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's weird, okay? I'm not used to.. It's weird when people are honestly nice to me."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Stop repeating that!"  
  
"I don't understand." Hajime lays a hand on Oikawa's elbow, stopping him and coming to stand in front of him. "Why wouldn't people be nice to you?"  
  
Oikawa looks down, inspecting the tips of his shoes. Then his eyes wonder up, resting on one of the umbrella's wires, face becoming emotionless. His lips form into a smile, and even though Hajime can tell it's fake, he still returns it.  
  
"I've made the conversation serious enough for today. Let's go home, okay?"  
  
Oikawa resumes walking, and Hajime has no choice but to follow him. The brunet's face is a mask of complete self-control and fake happiness, and although Hajime can see right through it just after a week of knowing Oikawa, he doesn't push the subject. Instead, he grips the umbrella handle tighter in his hand and lets his other arm dangle between Oikawa and himself, unsure of what to do. If he touches Oikawa's hand and tries to take it in his own, will the other flinch? Will he yell at him? Hajime briefly shakes his head before stuffing his hand into the pocket of Oikawa's jacket. No need to make things awkward or complicated.  
  
They walk in silence that isn't uncomfortable but feels a little hostile. Thankfully the sound of cars passing by and people chatting fills it, so neither have to worry about starting a conversation. Oikawa walks with his head tilted down, looking at the pavement rather than in front of him, but he still manages to avoid any obstacles in his way. His head snaps up suddenly, and he starts looking around before his eyes land on something or someone across the street.  
  
"Sorry, Iwa-chan, I saw someone I know. I'm going to say hi, okay?"  
  
"Just don't get lost."  
  
Oikawa flashes him a smile and then starts running in the direction of a bookshop, stopping at the entrance of it and grabbing a person's elbow gently to catch their attention. Hajime leans against a street lamp and watches as the person turns around, lips forming a soft smile when recognizing Oikawa. It's a boy, although Hajime isn't sure, what with the almost shoulder length blond hair, a contrast to the dark brown roots. He's short, the top of his head reaching a bit past Oikawa's shoulders so he has to look up when speaking to him. Oikawa, in return, tilts his head down so that he can see the other's face clearly, talking with a genuine smile on his face. The boy chuckles lowly at something the brunet says, and reaching into his pocket to pull out his phone, tilting it up towards Oikawa, and then pointing to the screen. Oikawa laughs and pats the boy's head, taking the phone in his hand and then scrolling down.  
  
Hajime tenses when he sees a tall man approach them, but relaxed once the newcomer rest an arm around the shorter boy's shoulders, fist-bumping Oikawa and giving him a smirk. Everything about him screams laid-back and easy-going, from the disheveled hairstyle that makes Hajime wonder if the man didn't style it when he got out of bed this morning or if he actually put a lot of time and effort to make it look like that, to his posture and lazy smirk.  
  
Hajime starts walking towards them, unconsciously putting a hand on Oikawa's back when he comes close enough. The black haired man seems to notice it because he sends him a grin and a nod.  
  
"Oh, Iwa-chan!" Oikawa seems surprised at his sudden appearance.  
  
"That your boyfriend? I hope he's not an ass like Ushijima-"  
  
"No, this is my friend, Iwaizumi Hajime." Oikawa sends the man a halfhearted glare. "How many people do you think I'm dating, Kuroo? You asked last week when I was with Sugawara too."  
  
"Hey, I thought maybe after what happened you'd want to find someone else to date and, I have to make sure that person isn't an asshole."  
  
"I can assure you, Kuroo, Iwa-chan is neither an asshole nor my boyfriend."  
  
"..yet.", Hajime mutters under his breath, low enough so nobody hears him.  
  
"Oh, you know I was missing last week.", the short boy speaks suddenly, voice low and calm. "Someone said something about a printout. Do you think you could scan and email it to me, Tooru?"  
  
The use of Oikawa's first name makes Hajime tense up. Even thought they're obviously good friends, people don't go around calling each other first names so casually. I'm definitely not jealous.  
  
"Why don't I bring it to you tomorrow and you can copy it? Isn't that better?" Oikawa shoots the boy a kind smile.  
  
"Mhm, okay. Thank you."  
  
"How do you two know each other?", Kuroo suddenly says, eyes flitting between Hajime and Oikawa.  
  
"Oh, Iwa-chan is a fellow student at our university. I'm his model for a class project."  
  
"Photography, huh? Do you get along well because you both take useless classes?"  
  
"Says the one taking Graphic Design.", the blond boy mutters before Hajime can say something.  
  
"Oh come on, that's just because I had to pick something."  
  
"All art classes are useless in your opinion."  
  
"Well what about you, Mr. Information Technology 101?"  
  
"It's not like you can boot up your laptop after it breaks down without my help."  
  
Hajime leans closer to Oikawa and says lowly :"Is that how they always are?"  
  
"Yes." Oikawa hands the boy back his phone. "Well anyway, can I at least introduce you two? This is Kenma Kozume, he has Modern Art too, and that's his asshole boyfriend Kuroo Tetsurou."  
  
Kuroo raises his hand. "Yo."  
  
"Sup."Hajime nods at him, trying to look at least vaguely intimidating.  
  
Kenma sighs. "Well, we better, because someone has to study." He turns to glare at Kuroo.  
  
"Come on, you said I studied enough-"  
  
"If I tested you right now, you wouldn't know anything." Kenma grasps Kuroo's elbow and begins to physically drag him away. "See you tomorrow, Tooru. Don't forget about the printout, please."  
  
"I won't." Oikawa waves at them until they disappear from his sight, and then slips back under the umbrella, his side pressing against Hajime's. "Let's go home?"  
  
Hajime nods, but keeps standing still and reaches up to ruffle Oikawa's damp hair. "You should've kept the umbrella."  
  
"I'm fine." Oikawa smiles at him as they walk through a park. He peers closer into Hajime's face. "What's wrong?"  
  
"What? Nothing.."  
  
"You're frowning." Oikawa's brows furrow too.  
  
"No, it's just.. he called you by your first name.."  
  
Oikawa's eyes widen and then he laughs. "Who, Kenma? He does that with everyone, don't worry. What, you want to call me by my first name too?"  
  
"Shut up, I didn't say that." Hajime turns his face away.  
  
"Then why are you bringing it up?"  
  
Hajime sighs. "I was just mentioning it-"  
  
"Well you obviously looked very bothered by it."  
  
"For god's sake, shut up! God, it's better to just keep quiet when I'm with you."  
  
Oikawa looks offended for a moment before his features smooth out again,a grin plastered on his face. "If you want to call me by my first name, feel free. I called you by your first name earlier too, you know. Although it was accidental."  
  
Hajime's eyebrows shoot up. Did he really? If he did, Hajime didn't notice it. He scoffs.  
  
"Like hell I'm calling you by your first name."  
  
He wonders how many times they'll have to go over this subject before he really does call the other 'Tooru'.

 

**xxxXxx**

 

 It's a rainy Saturday afternoon and Hajime is standing at the door of Matsukawa's apartment, his laptop and camera safely hidden in his waterproof bag. The plan for the weekend was originally very different - his sister was supposed to go to the zoo or the amusement park or something with his parents so he could study in peace, but with the weather turning out like this, the youngest Iwaizumi grew bored very quickly and annoyed Hajime until he snapped and left the house. Now that he thinks about it, his sister reminds Hajime of Oikawa. Or the other way around.  
  
After knocking a few times without an answer, Hajime reluctantly tries to twist the doorknob. The door opens.  _Well, that's weird_. Has Matsukawa forgotten to lock the door? Or maybe it was Oikawa.. Have they gone out and forgotten to lock the door?  
  
Hajime steps in and quietly shuts the door behind him, muttering "Excuse for the intrusion" and taking his shoes off. The apartment is strangely quiet, confirming Hajime's theory. He occupies the dining table, taking out his laptop and turning it on, then listing through his study materials. The medical essay due next week can wait, so Hajime pushes that aside and opens his editor, reviewing the pictures he took. In the middle of choosing filters for a picture of the pier from last week, he hears a door slide open. Probably the front door. The sound of bare feet against the floor follow, which leaves Hajime a bit confused. What comes next is a quiet gasp, a hitch of breath. Hajime makes the mistake of turning his head to look what's going on. Yes.

 _Big_  mistake.

In the living room doorway stands Oikawa Tooru, hair so wet water is dripping from it onto his bare shoulders. In fact, his entire body is very, very bare. Safe for the towel slung around his neck, Oikawa Tooru is standing in the living room doorway completely naked. Very naked.  _Oh shit._  
  
Hajime gulps and unsuccessfully tries to avoid eye contact. His eyes wander up to Oikawa's face, taking in his shocked expression (similar to Hajime's) and stay there. Hajime is trying to imagine that Oikawa's body ends below his neck. It doesn't really work, so he turns to his laptop again, staring at the keyboard. His heart is thudding against his rib cage so hard his chest almost hurts, and he hopes Oikawa can't hear it. His hands resting on his thighs clench into fists. Maybe one little peek wouldn't hurt.. right?  
  
He takes a deep breath and angles his head slightly in Oikawa's direction, eyes darting up and then sliding down the brunet's body. He gets to Oikawa's abs before the brunet realizes what Hajime is doing and hurriedly slips the towel from his neck so quickly he almost strangles himself, wrapping it around his waist. Hajime doesn't know if he's relieved or annoyed by the action. He can feel his cheeks grow hot and hopes that Oikawa is blushing too. When he looks at Oikawa's face, he finds just as red as his own. He composes himself and smirks at Oikawa, who splutters and looks torn between running away and trying to come up with an excuse.  
  
"I-I'm sorry, Iwa-chan, I thought you were Mattsun-"  
  
"You walk around naked when Matsukawa is around?" Hajime slings his arms around the chair's back rest.  
  
"He does it too! Neither of us mind."  
  
"Okay." Hajime laughs, shaking his head briefly. He expects Oikawa to go get dressed, but the brunet keeps standing in the doorway, one hand holding the towel at his hip. "Can you go put some clothes on?"  
  
"Huh? Oh.. yes, sure. I'll go do that."  
  
Oikawa finally peels himself off the wall and turns to walk in the bedroom. Or, that's what Hajime thinks. He hasn't seen Oikawa's room and he's not sure if he wants to. He turns back to his work, managing to edit two more  pictures before Oikawa returns, thankfully dressed. He fills the kettle with water and turns it on, leaning against the kitchen counter.  
  
"Tea?"  
  
Hajime only nods, too focused to reply properly. He hears Oikawa chuckle.  
  
"How did you get in, anyway?"  
  
"Door was unlocked."  
  
"Jeez, I told Mattsun to lock it, but he never does. I think he does it on purpose at this point." Oikawa sighs and fills two mugs with the boiled water, walking over to the sofa and placing them on the small table in front of it.  
  
"Where's Matsukawa?"  
  
"Out." Hajime can hear the smile in Oikawa's voice.  
  
"No shit.", he huffs.  
  
"Okay, let me be more specific. Out on a date with Makki."  
  
Hajime nods. "I don't understand why they didn't just move in together. Matsukawa could've chosen Hanamaki as a flatmate, and not you-"  
  
"Rude, Iwa-chan. Anyway, why don't you come over here? That chair is very uncomfortable."  
  
Hajime rolls his eyes, but obediently stands up and moves to the sofa, placing his laptop on his lap.  
  
"Your tea will get cold.", Oikawa points out.  
  
"I'm this close", Hajime raises a hand and brings his thumb and index finger close, leaving almost no space "to hitting you. How annoying can you get?"  
  
"Aw, but last week you were so nice to m-"  
  
The sentence ends with a yelp when an English textbook makes contact with Oikawa's head. The brunet pouts and turns away, cradling the mug of tea in his hands.  
  
"That hurt.", he mumbles.  
  
"It wouldn't have hurt if you kept quiet. Please shut up and leave me alone, I need to finish this. Watch TV or something."  
  
"You're no fun."  
  
Oikawa reaches for the remote to turn the TV on, flipping through the channels with an extremely bored expression on his face. Suddenly he sits up, nearly spilling tea on the sofa.  
  
"Rurouni Kenshin is on!"  
  
"Hm?" Hajime briefly raises his head to look at the TV screen just in time to see the opening credits of the historical movie. "So what, you've never seen it?"  
  
"I've seen it plenty of times." Oikawa pouts again. "Watch it with me, Iwa-chan. You can do your work later."  
  
"No."  
  
"Pleeease. I know you like Rurouni Kenshin. Everyone likes samurai movies."  
  
Well, Oikawa had a point. Hajime could keep entertained from watching anything with samurai flinging their swords around for hours ever since he was child. With a sigh, he closes his laptop and puts it on the ground.  
  
"Happy?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
Oikawa brings his legs up and hugs his knees to his chest, looking very cozy in the hoodie he has on. Instead of watching the film, Hajime keeps his eyes fixed on the brunet's face, watching as his eyes shine with excitement at the opening scene.  
  
"I wouldn't take you for someone who likes violence.", he says as he finally faces the TV too, watching as Kenshin pierces his sword through a man's chest.  
  
"Hm, I don't really. But I like the fight sequences in these movies.", Oikawa hums. "I originally wanted to watch a sci-fi movie that was on, but I thought you might like this better."  
  
"It doesn't really matter to me.", Hajime shrugs. "But I wouldn't think you'd like historical dramas either."  
  
"Why? They're fun."  
  
"Aren't you just watching this because of the main actor?"  
  
"Iwa-chan! Who do you take me for?"  
  
Hajime laughs and reaches for his tea as well, taking a sip.  
  
About twenty minutes into the movie, a phone goes off. Oikawa is so focused on the TV jumps slightly, looking around to see what happened.  
  
"Was that your phone?", he asks.  
  
"No.", Hajime shakes his head. He searches the room with his eyes until they land on a phone lying on the table, close to his feet. "That yours?"  
  
"Yeah. Could you pass it to me?"  
  
Hajime reaches for the phone, unlocking it.  
  
>one new message from **Video Games**  
 >>Kuroo is hogging the bathroom again  
  
"What the hell.", Hajime mutters. He moves to hand the phone to Oikawa when it buzzes again.  
  
>two new messages from  **Video Games**  
 >> Kuroo is hogging the bathroom again  
 >> he came out after like fifteen minutes and his hair still looks the same  
  
Hajime stifles a laugh. So the tall guy's hair really was a bedhead.  
  
"Who is it?"  
  
"You have messages from Video Games. Nothing important."  
  
"Oh, that's Kenma. He's probably just complaining about Kuroo again."  
  
"You got that right."  
  
> three new messages from  **Video Games**

 >> he went in again. I need to pee.

  
"He says he needs to pee because Kuroo is in the bathroom."  
  
"That happens every day.", Oikawa sighs.  
  
> three new messages from ** Churros w/ Nutella**  
 >> Kenma says he wants to move out  
 >> is it because of my hair?  
 >> or is it because I always eat all his mochi ice-cream?  
  
"Churros with Nutella?", Hajime says with a laugh. "Nice contact names."  
  
"Thank you, I came up with them myself." Oikawa beams at him. "Hand me the phone."  
  
Oikawa unlocks the phone and Hajime watches him type in "it's because you're ugly and a gross old man" before sending the message and locking the phone again. Hajime puts the phone on the sofa's armrest, mainly because this whole thing is very amusing.  
  
> one new message from  **Churros  w/ Nutella**  
 >> fuck you  
  
"Looks like you're best friends with Kuroo. He sends you his love." Hajime tilts the phone toward Oikawa. The brunet grins.  
  
"I'm best friends with everyone."  
  
They turn their attention back to the movie, sipping their tea. Oikawa is restless, Hajime notes, going through about ten positions before settling on the first one again, hugging a pillow to his chest and bending his legs to fit his whole body on the sofa. He accidentally kicks Hajime's thigh in the process.  
  
"Stop moving."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
Oikawa finally settles down and become focused again, laughing when Kenshin takes his time to remove his sandals and bow before stepping into the dojo to beat up the invading thugs. Hajime chuckles along with him. He's seen this movie only once before, but it's obvious Oikawa watches it regularly. Probably on movie nights with Matsukawa. If they do anything like that.  
  
The buzzing of the phone snaps Hajime out of his thoughts.  
  
> one new message from  **Spasiba**  
  >> Oikawa-san, I think you have my textbook  
  
"What the fuck..", Hajime mutters. This is getting ridiculous.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Where do you come up with these names? Apparently, you have 'Spasiba's' textbook."  
  
"Ooh." Oikawa hums. "Hm, I think I do." At Hajime's incredulous look, he sighs. "A classmate of mine. He's half Russian."  
  
"I see."  
  
This is going to be a long day.

 

**xxxXxxx**

 

Hajime doesn't 'bump' into people. It just doesn't happen. He walks very carefully and minds his step, and never, ever, bumps into anyone. So he really doesn't know how he managed to physically collide into Hitoka Yachi and is now picking up papers she dropped while she's begging him to join their art class. Or something. Hajime must be really out of it today.  
  
He stands up, handing the pile of documents to the blond girl, and turns, preparing to run away to the safety of his classroom, where no one talks to him.  
  
"Iwaizumi-san!"  
  
Her high-pitched voice pierces through his tired head and makes him stop and turn around.  
  
"Iwaizumi-san.", she repeats his name, gentler this time. "I know you have a free lesson now. You're the only photography student I know, please participate in our class today. I just need you to take a few reference pictures."  
  
Too bad Hajime can't say no to someone who's asking him this nicely. He puts his hands up in defeat. "Okay, okay, fine. I'll do it."  
  
"Thank you!" She looks so excited she nearly drops the papers again. They walk down the hallway, Yachi leading the way and Hajime trailing behind her like a lost puppy because he has absolutely no idea where the art room is.  
  
It's a complicated journey. Hajime thinks his legs will give out any second because he hasn't gotten nearly to no sleep in the last two nights and he's very, very tired. That's probably why he bumped into Yachi in the first place. But it's too late to regret it now, Hajime guesses as they around another corner and go down a flight of stairs.  
  
Finally they walk into a corridor decorated by paintings and sculptures. Yachi instructs him to walk straight until he reaches a door and wait there and disappears into another room. Hajime drags his feet against the floor, idly fumbling with his camera to set it for the class, not really paying attention briefly. His eyes briefly flit up and with relief he sees a closed door, painted a crisp white. A bench is placed next to it, and a figure is sitting on it, bending over and-  
  
_Wait._  
  
Hajime really looks at the person perched on the bench, taking in the brown wavy hair, bangs fixed in place with some hair clips. Are you serious. But- no, it can't be Oikawa Tooru, because last time Hajime checked, Oikawa Tooru is a boy, and boys don't wear skirts. Usually. Boys don't wear girls' high school uniforms. Right?  
  
Hajime walks closer, hiding behind the corner and peeking over it. Indeed, on the bench sits Oikawa, currently pulling a sock up his calf. _This isn't real._  Hajime has to blink a few times to make sure he isn't dreaming. The sight before him makes Hajime really confused, because despite the obvious fact that Oikawa is man, he still looks really good in the skirt, probably reaching the middle of his thighs if he stood up. It defines his slim waist and hips, and even the bow at the collar of the shirt is tied properly.  _This is a joke, right?_

 Hajime gathers all the courage he has at the moment, and emerges from his hiding spot, coming to stand directly in front of Oikawa. The brunet takes one of his earphones out and blinks up at Hajime. As if nothing is out of order or different. As if he isn't wearing a skirt and pulling it off.

  
"Iwa-chan!", he greets, seemingly satisfied with the stocking he was previously adjusting, reaching for the other sock. "What are you doing here? Oh, did Yacchan ask you for help?"  
  
"... y-you shave your legs?", is what comes ouf Hajime's mouth instead of a proper explanation. Not that he's supposed to explain anything. Oikawa is.  
  
The brunet laughs, slipping his foot into the black sock and pulling it up. "That's the first thing you ask?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I was really caught off guard when I saw you like.. like this-" Hajime gestures to Oikawa's attire. "Can you please explain this to me? Was this done on purpose? Is someone making fun of me?"  
  
"Woah, hold up." Oikawa waves his hands in front of him. "What do you mean 'on purpose'? It's very simple, the art class were lacking a female model and needed school uniform references and I volunteered."  
  
Hajime visibly deflates, slumping against the wall. So that's how it is.  
  
"I see." He smirks suddenly, an idea popping into his head. "Well, at least I can use some of the photos I take for my project. 'Day I-don't-know-what: crossdressing."  
  
Oikawa scowls at him. "You will send those pictures to Yacchan and then delete all of them. Who knows what you could use them for."  
  
"I could promote the volleyball club with this."  
  
"Don't you dare-"  
  
"Oikawa-san!"  
  
Yachi runs up to them, panting. She hands Oikawa a pair of school loafers.  
  
"I forgot these."  
  
"Thank you, Yacchan." He smiles down at Yachi, who blushes and turns her head away. Hajime thinks she's blushing partially because of the school uniform. Oikawa puts on the shoes and then stands up, adjusting the shirt collar. "Can I leave the hair clips in?"  
  
"Sure, we won't be drawing your hair anyway." Yachi beams at him, and leads the two of them into the art room.  
  
"Sorry for the intrusion, ladies!", Oikawa calls out when he steps in. About twenty heads, all female, turn to look at him. Hajime wonders how Oikawa can keep a straight face in a situation like this.  
  
"Oikawa-san." A black-haired girl with glasses calls out, grabbing Oikawa's elbow and leading him to a small podium. "Please stand here. We'll be doing a few poses, I'll instruct you each time. For now, just face the student and stand still. Hands at your sides."  
  
Oikawa does as he's told, and the girl adjust his clothes briefly before turning to Hajime. "You're Iwaizumi-san?" Hajime nods. "Please takes pictures of each pose from the front, side, and three-quarter side."  
  
"Understood."  
  
Hajime turns on his camera and stands in front of Oikawa, kneeling down for a better angle. He takes three pictures before occupying a stool to get out of the way and waits for the pose to change. The room becomes quiet, filled only with the sound of pencils against paper.  
  
The poses change after about ten minutes. Oikawa is asked to imitate walking, sit on a chair in various positions, and then to put on the uniform cardigan and blazer. By the time the class is finished, Hajime has a good thirty pictures, and Oikawa's legs are trembling slightly from having to stand in one place for such a long time. He takes the bow off and unbuttons the first two buttons of his shirt when the class begins to clear out, slumping into an armchair.  
  
"Do you do this often?", Hajime asks, putting his camera back into his bag.  
  
"Not really. I've modeled for this class once or twice before."  
  
"In a skirt?"  
  
Oikawa smirks. "No, not in a skirt. Just for anatomy references. And once they recreated a painting and I was naked with only a sheet."  
  
"That's pretty extreme."  
  
Oikawa shrugs. "It wasn't that bad. I think today was worse. I was really embarrassed to put the skirt on at first."  
  
"Yeah?... you look good in a skirt."  
  
Hajime is very embarrassed to say that, but it's definitely worth the blush creeping to Oikawa's cheeks.

 

**xxxXxxx**

 

 _"We're out of macadamia cookies."_  
  
_"That's no way to greet someo\- wait what?!"_  
  
_Oikawa leans against the counter, dropping his head into his palms. The barista smirks as he continues to wipe the floor. The little cafe near Oikawa's campus is usually crowded, but today there are only a few customers, and all the other baristas are on break._  
  
_" Aren't you being a little too dramatic?"_  
  
_"No. You know I like macadamia cookies. They help me with studying."_  
  
_"If you buy something, I'll give you a pack of the chocolate ones."_  
  
_"Really?" Oikawa straightens up and reaches into his bag to take out his wallet. "Then I'll have a cappuccino."_  
  
_The barista's face melts into a mockingly shocked expression. "Excuse me? Oikawa-san, the sugar addict who always gets a vanilla or caramel latte with whipped cream and chocolate syrup on top, is getting a plain cappuccino? Someone keeping you on a leash?"_  
  
_Oikawa huffs. "No, nothing like that. I'm trying to cut down sugar."_  
  
_"Hmm? You know that's impossible."_  
  
_"Get on with the coffee, Tanaka-san!"_  
  
_"Right, right." Tanaka Ryuunosuke snickers as he turns on the coffee machine. He hands Oikawa the cup and the pack of cookies, frowning at the thousand-yen bill the brunet is handing him. "It's on the house, idiot."_  
  
_"O-oh. Are you sure, Tanaka-san?"_  
  
_"Of course."_  
  
_"Then, thank you."_  
  
_Oikawa lifts his elbows off the counter so Tanaka can wipe the counter, briefly glancing at the barista's neck and arms. "New tattoo?"_  
  
_"Hm? Oh, this?" Tanaka points at a small dragon inked into the skin at the side of his neck. "Me and Noya got matching ones."_  
  
_"Looks nice." Oikawa takes a sip of his coffee after dumping three sugar packets in it. He tries to resist the urge to add another one. "A friendship like that sounds nice too."_  
  
_"What about you? You've been bragging about getting a tattoo for forever."_  
  
_"I'm going to wait a bit longer. It is permanent, after all."_  
  
_Oikawa sits on one of the bar chairs, opening the paper bag to eat a cookie. "Ah, Tanaka-san. Before I forget.. you still take in employees, right? I'd like to apply for a job."_  
  
_"Huh?" Tanaka wets the rag at the sink and starts wiping the mugs. "A job? Do you have enough time for that? Only morning or late night shifts are open now, y'know? Think you could manage that?"_  
  
_Oikawa shrugs, dusting off some cookie crumbles from his lap. "I'm fine with that. I have practice from eight in the morning every day though. And evening practice on Thursdays and Tuesdays."_  
  
_Tanaka  sighs, throwing the rag over his shoulders. "Alright. You can take shifts on Monday, Wednesday and Friday then. We'll see about the weekends. You okay with being here from five am to open the shop?"_  
  
_"Of course-"_  
  
_"That's no good, Oikawa-kun." A new voice cuts in, and Oikawa turns around to see Sugawara Koushi walking towards them, fastening the apron's tie at the back of his neck. He must've gotten back from his break. The silver-haired man moves behind the counter and leans forward to inspect Oikawa's face. The brunet unconsciously inches back. Sugawara smiles at him kindly, although there's worry etched across his face. "I can see you're not sleeping well, you know?" He turns to Tanaka. "I can take his morning shifts. He needs to keep a routine, especially when he's straining his body every day."_  
  
_"It's fine, honestly, Suga. Lately I've had trouble sleeping anyway." Oikawa waves his hands dismissively. "I can come at five am. And I can stay late to close the shop."_  
  
_Sugawara  sighs, putting his hands on his hips. "I wish you'd stop doing that to yourself, Oikawa."_  
  
As Oikawa walks down the street at ten to five in the morning, a beanie sitting on the top his head and hands deep in his pockets, he thinks that maybe Suga was right. He woke up at three am, as he does almost every morning for some unknown reason, but actually getting up at such an unreasonable time was another thing.  
  
When he stumbled into the bathroom at half past four and took a good look at himself in the mirror, he almost wanted to go back to bed. His hair just couldn't cooperate with him, even though he wasted close to half of a can of hairspray, and the ever present dark circles under his eyes just seemed more pronounced. On top of that, his skin looked pasty and unkempt, a couple of pimples making an appearance on his chin. Solving the bedhead was easy, he can wear the beanie through his whole shift and then he'll take a shower after practice anyway. He put some concealer on the red areas of his face and kept on his glasses. Everyone in the cafe would be half-asleep anyway and Oikawa was just too tired to care what he looked like. He realized he needed his contacts for practice after he put his shoes on. And he nearly forgot his duffel bag too.  
  
Which is why he's late. Or, he isn't sure if he can arrive on time. His legs feel heavier than usual, his whole body is stiff and his throat is tight. With every step he can feel a jab of uncomfortable pain in his bad knee and his shoulder aches from the weight of his duffel bag. Glancing at his watch tells him he only has five minutes until the shop opens. Cursing quietly, he breaks into a light job, ignoring his protesting knee. He can just put an ice-pack on it later.  
  
He arrives at the cafe just as Sugawara's flipping the 'open' sign over. Bolting in through the door, he hastily takes of his jacket and slips into an apron, murmuring a "Sorry I'm late."  
  
"Don't worry.", Suga waves a hand dismissive hand, his usual kind smile plastered on his face. "You're right on time."  
  
"Good.", Oikawa breathes out, leaning against the counter and tying his apron around his neck. "What do I need to do? You're alone here, Suga?"  
  
"Hm. I'm usually the first one to arrive." Suga throws a rag at Oikawa. "Wipe the counter and the tables until the others arrive. Then take orders, I'll teach you how to work with the machines later."  
  
Oikawa nods, starting to swipe the wet rag along the wooden counter, easing weight off his bad leg. The whole cleaning process doesn't take a long time, but he feels as if he'd been wiping the tables for hours when Tanaka arrives.  
  
"Here's your name tag.", Tanaka says, handing him a small piece of laminated paper on a clip. "Write your name on there."  
  
Oikawa takes a sharpie. "First or last?"  
  
"Oh, first!", Sugawara sounds, beaming at Oikawa as he's unloading muffins from a tray. "It gives off a friendlier vibe, don't you think?"  
  
"It's not like the customers can tell if it's your first name.", Tanaka says, fastening his name tag onto his apron. "Plus, you don't have your first name on your tag."  
  
"I'm an exception.", Suga winks. "This is easier to pronounce."  
  
Oikawa scribbles "Tooru" on his in the end, nearly messing up the first character.  
  
"Rough night?", Tanaka asks him when they're wiping the mugs. "I don't usually see you with glasses."  
  
"Kind of.", Oikawa shrugs. "It's been like this lately. I can't get much sleep. And you wouldn't want to see me without glasses right now, Tanaka-san."  
  
Suga shoots him a sympathetic look when the bell at the door rings, signaling the arrival of first customers. A group of high school girls walk in, immediately cooing over Oikawa, one even shyly asking for his number. Oikawa politely declines to give it to her. Tanaka grumbles something about Oikawa still getting the most attention even though he looks like shit.  
  
It goes relatively well. Oikawa manages not to fuck anything up, but by the time eight am rolls around, he's feeling even more exhausted than before and is almost tempted to skip practice. He doesn't really feel like putting up with Ushiwaka's shit, but still drags himself over to the gym when he remembers that Iwaizumi promised him he'd come to his morning practice if he has free time.  
  
Despite being a bit late, he changes into his practice clothes slowly, his movements sluggish, his brain unfocused and vision a bit bleary. Putting the contacts in is a pain, because his eyes can't stop watering for some reason. After tightening his knee brace, he finally steps into the gym and apologizes, then starts to stretch, standing aside to not get in the way.  
  
As he's bending down to stretch his legs, he feels a hesitant touch on his shoulder. Straightening up, he turns around to see Kageyama looking at him with an annoyingly worried expression.  
  
"What's up, Tobio-chan?", he asks, grabbing his knee and pulling it against his torso.  
  
"A-are you okay, Oikawa-san?", the black-haired boy stutters out, holding up the volleyball in his hands. It kind of looks like he thinks Oikawa might hit him. The brunet just sighs and moves onto his other knee, wincing when he bends it. Unfortunately, that doesn't go unnoticed by Kageyama. "Do you want to stay on the bench today? I can tell the coach that you're not feeling well."  
  
"No, I'm fine. Thank you for your concern though, Tobio-chan." Oikawa brushes past him, picking up a stray ball and rolling it in his hands. "Let's do some receiving."  
  
"O-okay."  
  
Kageyama still looks a bit unsure when he stands on the other side of the net. Oikawa sends him a normal serve, because jumping seems physically impossible to him right now. They exchange serves for about fifteen minutes. Oikawa can sense Ushijima's gaze from across the gym, and sends him a glance to see the former Shiratorizawa's captain watching him a frown. Childishly sticking his tongue out, Oikawa turns back to the net, nearly missing the ball. He hears a chuckle from somewhere above him, and signals time out to Kageyama, looking up to the bleachers and spotting the lone figure sitting in the middle. Iwaizumi raises his hand and waves down at Oikawa from behind his camera. Oikawa immediately brightens up and strikes a pose, flashing the photographer a peace sign. Iwaizumi sets down the camera and reaches into his backpack for something, pulling out a notepad and scribbling something on, then raising it up for Oikawa to read it.  
  
"All of this is going to my portfolio. Even the pictures where you look ugly."  
  
"You said five pictures a day!", Oikawa shouts, cupping his hands around his face. "And I never look ugly."  
  
Iwaizumi laughs, and writes something on the notepad again.  
  
"Even from this far, I can tell that you look like shit."  
  
Oikawa sticks his tongue out at Iwaizumi too. Apparently, he's been distracted for too long, because seconds later, a ball comes flying at him, bouncing off his back. Oikawa whips around with a glare, looking for the culprit. Well, it's pretty obvious who it was.  
  
"Don't slack off.", Ushijima sneers at him. "Focus on practice. And visitors aren't allowed."  
  
"You aren't a captain anymore, Ushiwaka-chan. Don't order me around." Oikawa's tone turn cold as he picks up the ball again and steps further away from the net. Seeing Iwaizumi freshened him up a bit, so it feels easy to serve at Kageyama at full force now, complete with a jump. Kageyama doesn't receive the ball properly.  
  
"Oikawa-san!", he shouts. "You're supposed to tell me when you do that! I need to be ready."  
  
"You never know what your opponent will do, Tobio-chan. You need to be ready the whole game, and never let your guard down." Oikawa catches the ball when Kageyama throws it to him. "Shall we do some spiking? You can join too, Ushiwaka-chan."  
  
"No, thank you."  
  
"Aww.", Oikawa pouts. "That's not a good attitude towards your setters. Well, I guess we'll have to get by like this, Tobio-chan."  
  
For the rest of practice, Oikawa sends tosses to Kageyama and eventually some other players until his arms hurt and he's out of breath. Ushijima tells him to clean the gym as punishment, although Oikawa isn't really sure what he's being punished for. But he obediently takes down the nets and puts all the balls into the box. Iwaizumi's waiting for him at the doorway with a bottle of water and a bagel, pushing everything into Oikawa's hands as soon as he sees him.  
  
"Thank you, Iwa-chan." Oikawa downs the water down, but keeps the bag with the bagel closed. The thought of food makes him feel a bit nauseous.  
  
"Is Ushijima always like that?", Iwaizumi asks when they walk together to the main school building.  
  
"Pretty much. I guess he was extra pissed today because you were there."  
  
Iwaizumi scoffs. "You shouldn't let him act like that."  
  
Oikawa shrugs. "It can't be helped. Well, it's not always like that. Usually, he keeps to himself."  
  
"Hmm. And why do you practice with Kageyama even though you hate him?"  
  
"Despite hating him, I still used to be on the same team as him. I know him better than the other guys. It's easier like this."  
  
"Alright." Iwaizumi's scowl softens. "Nice serves, by the way."  
  
"Aw, thank you, Iwa-chan! I did them just to impress you." Oikawa grins, and neatly avoid Iwaizumi's fist from colliding with his shoulder. His knee still hurts and he feels tired and bland, but he finds that it's not that bad when he's with Iwaizumi.

 

**xxxXxxx**

 

Hajime doesn't know how he's ended up in the school's cafeteria. He rarely ever goes there, and if he does, it's because Matsukawa dragged him along to get lunch with him. It's usually very crowded around noon, and it's not like the food is any good. Or, Hajime wouldn't know, because he always arrives later and there's not much left for him. But, although the cafeteria sucks, there's free WiFi, and they serve free coffee. So on a cloudy, cold Wednesday, Hajime finds himself opening the glass door with his messenger bag slung over his shoulder, hoping to get some work done. Usually he'd go home or freeload at Matsukawa's apartment, but his sister is home which mean no peace and Matsukawa still has classes, unlike Hajime.  
  
Hajime is surprised to find the cafeteria almost empty. But then, it's almost two in the afternoon. Everyone has either already had lunch before or have classes. Hajime hangs his coat and goes to pick up a cup of coffee, looking around for a comfortable place to sit. He's tempted by the armchairs at the window, but he catches a familiar mop of brown wavy hair in the corner of his eye.  
  
Seriously, how many more times is he going to bump into Oikawa under weird circumstances.  
  
The setter is sitting alone at a table, various paper and textbooks scattered in front of him along with a Styrofoam cup and a half-eaten plate of fries. He has earphones on, and looks extremely concentrated, currently high-lighting a part of a text with a bright orange marker. So he studies too. Oikawa has his glasses on too, and his attire generally looks messy, like he woke up late and had to run. Not that Iwaizumi can blame, today has been a pretty shitty day. He remembers Oikawa looking like this on Monday at morning practice, tired and unfocused, working on autopilot.  
  
Hajime watches Oikawa for a while before shrugging and walking in his direction, easing into the chair next to Oikawa and lightly knocking their shoulders together. Oikawa starts, dropping the marker and shooting Hajime an offending glance.  
  
"Iwa-chan.", he whines, taking an earphone out. "Don't do that, you scared me."  
  
"Sorry.", Hajime huffs, leaning forward onto his elbows. "Having fun here? With your.." He tilts his head to read the title of a closed textbook. ".. history of modern art? Sounds pretty boring."  
  
Oikawa rests his forehead against the table. "I'm not having fun at all, I hate this. There's so much information, it's making my head hurt."  
  
"How long have you been here?"  
  
"Hmm." Oikawa unlocks his phone to check the time. "Until half past ten, I think."  
  
"You don't have classes today?"  
  
"Had two in the morning. And then have one at five."  
  
"How many cups of coffee have you had today?"  
  
"Ughh.." Oikawa makes a sound and waves his hand in a vague gesture. "I don't know."  
  
"Did you drink only coffee today? That's not good for your health.", Hajime scolds Oikawa.  
  
"Like I give a shit about my health. Right now I just need to pass this test."  
  
Hajime sighs, pushing his chair away from the table with a screeching sound and stands up, walking to the vending machines situated at the entrance. Oikawa raises an eyebrow at him but turns back to his studying, writing some notes down into a notebook. Hajime searches his pockets for some change, and inserts them into the coin lot, looking over at the drink choices. Coffee is out of the question, and sweetened carbonated drinks too. Water is definitely the best option for Oikawa right now, so Hajime presses a button and retrieves the bottle, placing in right on top of Oikawa's textbook.  
  
"Drink that.", he says, sitting down again. Oikawa glares at him. "I'm pretty sure you didn't drink anything else besides coffee today. You need to keep yourself hydrated."  
  
"Tch." Oikawa rolls his eyes, but opens the bottle, and drinks half of it in one go. He passes the rest to Hajime, and flips a page of his book.  
  
"Did you eat anything?"  
  
Oikawa points at the fries.  
  
"That's not enough."  
  
"Did you come here just to scold me and give me health tips, Iwa-chan?" Oikawa is giving him a side-way look. When Hajime doesn't break his gaze either, the brunet sighs. "I'm not hungry."  
  
"Well, in that case, can I have some?"  
  
Hajime slides a hand across the table towards the plate. However, before his fingers can come in contact with the porcelain or the food itself, his hand is slapped away. Oikawa slides the plate close to him, nearly hugging it to his chest.  
  
"Don't you dare! Fries are about the only thing keeping me alive right now, since I'm not allowed any more coffee."  
  
Hajime sort of knows how Oikawa feels.  
  
"I don't even eat fries often.", the brunet continues. "But the café I work at didn't have any more cookies left, so.."  
  
"Couldn't you just buy cookies at a convenience store?"  
  
"No, they're not the same.", Oikawa pouts, and puts a fry into his mouth. Hajime chuckles at the childish behavior. In the end, Oikawa is not that much different from his sister.  
  
Hajime decides to do some work too. He pulls out his laptop and turns it on. When the home page loads, he hears a snicker beside him.  
  
"Nice background-"  
  
"Shut the fuck up.", Hajime growls. "I don't comment on your shitty phone wallpaper either."  
  
Looking between his … and Oikawa's cat picture, Hajime really doesn't know what's worse. But on the other hand, what man in his early twenties would have a selfie of him and his cat as a phone background?  
  
"One day, you'll meet my cat and your opinion about him will change."  
  
"I never said I didn't like your cat." Hajime clicks on the 'Spotify' logo. "I just think that picture is ridiculous."  
  
Oikawa scoffs. "Excuse you. All my selfies are great."  
  
"Clearly the cat is way more photogenetic than you."  
  
"I'm going to spam you with my selfies one day."  
  
"I'll block you if you do that."  
  
"Who wouldn't want a selfie of me?"  
  
"Me."  
  
Hajime opens the editing program, and selects the pictures from the file he has yet to edit. Reaching into his bag, he finds that he forgot the most important thing.  
  
"Shit, I forgot my headphones.", he curses, and closes the music app again with a sigh.  
  
"I don't normally do this, but do you want to borrow one?" He turns to see Oikawa handing him an earbud.  
  
"Why, are you afraid people will judge your shitty music taste?"  
  
"Rude, Iwa-chan!"  
  
Iwaizumi takes the earbud and scrolls through Oikawa's music library. He can tell that Oikawa's music taste is different from his, but it's not shitty, as he would think. He's not even sure he can say that Oikawa has a music taste. The songs he has on his phone are a mixture of about five different genres. Hajime is somehow glad to find that he recognizes some of the titles.  
  
"Are you kidding me? Soraru?" Well, that took an unexpected turn once Hajime got to the artists.  
  
"What's wrong with that? I can't appreciate my country's pop culture?"  
  
"All these songs were once recorded by a computer. Do you have the originals too, you nerd?"  
  
Oikawa's glaring at him again. "No, I don't. How do you know this anyway, Iwa-chan? I bet you listen to either hard rock or classical music."  
  
"Both, actually. And I know because my sister loves that stuff."  
  
"Huh? You have a sister?" Oikawa immediately lightens up. "Can I meet her?"  
  
"Jesus, no. That'd be a disaster."  
  
Hajime finally picks the 'Howl's Moving Castle' soundtrack, pleasantly surprised that Oikawa has the whole album. They both lose themselves in their work, Hajime edits the pictures relatively quickly and then starts an essay he's been putting off for a long time, while Oikawa keeps highlighting parts of his textbook and writing notes. Hajime risks a glance next to him after a good hour. Oikawa seems to be stuck on one page, reading the same paragraph over and over. Actually, Hajime's not even sure Oikawa is reading. He's just staring blankly at the text in front of him, lost in his own little world.  
  
Hajime smiles a little and gives Oikawa's arm a little nudge. The brunet snaps out of his trance and glances up at Hajime, looking slightly apologetic.  
  
"You okay?"  
  
"Hm." Oikawa closes the textbook with a sigh. Before Hajime can even look back at his laptop, Oikawa's head shoulder is colliding with the raven's chest, head tilting and forehead coming to rest in the crook of Hajime's neck. "Just tired.", he mumbles, the words vibrating against Hajime's neck. He scoots closer until their chair are touching and their thighs and sides are pressed together. Hajime feels confused.  
  
"What are you doing? You can't just do things like this."  
  
"I'm.." Oikawa huffs into Hajime's shirt, looking for the right word. ".. recharging?"  
  
It sounds weird when Oikawa says it, but somehow, Hajime understands. Oikawa needs a break from cramming all that information into his head, after all. He hums, letting his cheek rest against the top of Oikawa's head, and returns to the essay. Oikawa reluctantly reaches for his notes and holds them up to see them better, continuing his studying. They stay like that until late afternoon.

 

**xxxXxxx**

 

"Ah, Iwaizumi!''  
  
Hajime drops his hand from the door of Oikawa's apartment when he hears someone fumbling with the lock, and a second later the door is swinging open and nearly hitting him in the face. His lips curl into an automatic smile, a thing he does every time he sees Oikawa, but it disappears when he finds Matsukawa standing in the doorway, looking disheveled and half-dead.  
  
''Hey.'' Hajime shifts his weight and runs a hand through his hair. This isn't looking good. Something has to be wrong, because Matsukawa rarely opens the door. ''Um, is Oikawa here?''  
  
''Iwaizumi, I beg you, please get him out of his room. It's past two p.m. and if he doesn't go out, get groceries and cook lunch, I'm going to die of hunger.''  
  
Iwaizumi frowns, trying to catch everything Matsukawa says. ''Hm? Did something happen?''  
  
Matsukawa shrugs, seemingly frustrated. ''I don't know. He came from morning practice and shut himself up in his room. And I know how he gets, so I left him alone the whole morning.''  
  
Hajime nods and lets himself in, toeing off his shoes and leaving them beside the doormat neatly. ''Why didn't you just order something if you're hungry?''  
  
''Iwaizumi.'' Matsukawa sits on the couch with a huff and looks up at Hajime. ''I'm a college student. I'm broke.''  
  
Hajime laughs and sets down his bag. ''Order something then. I haven't had lunch yet either, we can eat together. I'll pay.''  
  
Matsukawa's eyes widen, and then his lips stretch into a grin and he's reaching for his phone. ''You're a saint, Iwaizumi. Oikawa almost doesn't deserve you.''  
  
Hajime wonders for a moment what Matsukawa could mean by 'almost', but he brushes it aside and mumbles ''I'm gonna go check on Oikawa'', walking out of the living room and stopping in front of Oikawa's room. It's dead quiet, but as Hajime stands there and listens, he can hear the TV faintly playing. Steeling himself, he knocks softly on the door.  
  
''Oikawa?''  
  
That came out rougher than he intended. Sighing, he knocks again, and tries to make his voice sound gentler.  
  
''Tooru?'' That works. ''It's me. Can I come in?''  
  
For a moment, nothing happens. Then, Hajime hears faint shuffling of fabric, and a muffled ''Yeah.''. He grasps the doorknob and twists it, opening the door slowly and peeking inside.  
  
The curtains are drawn down, blocking the sharp sunlight outside from entering the room. Oikawa is lying on the bed on top of the covers, his back facing Hajime. He's still dressed in his volleyball clothes, Hajime notices, but a white strip of fabric is covering Oikawa's right knee. The TV is on, although the sound is turned down, and a film is on. Hajime doesn't recognize it, but it looks depressing.  
  
Oikawa lifts his head at the sound of the door opening, and he turns on his back, gaze landing on Hajime. His eyes are red and puffy, and he looks tired and pale. Hajime closes the door quietly and sits on the floor, leaning his elbows on the bed.  
  
''Are you okay? It's almost three o'clock.''  
  
''Huh?'' Oikawa reaches for his phone, eyebrows lifting up in surprise. ''Oh shit, I didn't realize it was so late. Is Mattsun dead yet?''  
  
''No, but he was close. He called delivery.''  
  
Oikawa sighs in relief and lets his head fall back against the pillow, covering his face with an elbow.  
  
''You didn't answer my question, you know?'' Hajime is smiling lightly, pillowing his chin on his hands. ''Are you okay? And-'' He sees that Oikawa is about to roll his eyes and says something stupid, like 'do even really care?', so he quickly adds ''And yes, I do care, Tooru. I really do care. And I want to know if you're okay.''  
  
A sigh escapes Oikawa's nose, and he keeps his face hidden in the crook of his elbow as he croaks out: ''I'm fine.''  
  
''You're a bad liar.'' Hajime moves his hand and taps his fingers lightly against the white cloth on Oikawa's knee. ''What is this?''  
  
''I-.. It's a knee supporter.''  
  
''Huh? Did you get hurt today?''  
  
''No.'' Oikawa laughs at the genuine concern in Hajime's voice. ''I've had it for a while. Since middle school, actually. But my doctor told me that I didn't need it anymore, so I stopped wearing it. That's why you didn't see it before.''  
  
''So.. Why do you need it now?'' Hajime idly runs a finger along the edge of the knee brace.  
  
''I.. I wouldn't need it if I.. stuck to my normal training plan.'' Oikawa sighs again. ''But.. that's not enough for me to improve. I need to get stronger, and better.''  
  
''So you overwork yourself, and end up hurting yourself again.'' Hajime shakes his head, and moves to sit at the edge of the mattress, running his fingers through Oikawa's hair.  
The brunet stares at him with wide eyes before turning his head away from Hajime, fingers curling around the edge of his pillow. "Why do you do that to yourself?", Hajime continues. "In my opinion, you don't need to improve much more, but if you think you do, give it time. You don't need to stay late and work more. Stick to your normal training plan and in time you'll get better."  
  
"But.. that takes a lot of time."  
  
Hajime smiles. "Why are you in a hurry to get better?"  
  
"I... I want to become the best setter on the team."  
  
"Aren't you already? You looked pretty perfect to me when I came to your practice the other day."  
  
Oikawa shrugs, voice turning even lower than before. "Maybe it seems like it, but I can't read the opponents' moves as well as Tobio-chan. I thought highly of myself in high-school and even managed to beat Tobio-chan, but playing on the same team as him after such a long time is very different from what I expected. He got a lot better."  
  
"So it's just the same as in middle school, huh?" Hajime takes a lock of Oikawa's hair between his fingers, twisting it idly. "You don't need to beat Kageyama, you know? He's not your enemy, he's on the same team as you. Rather than competing with him, you need to work together to win against a real opponent."  
  
Oikawa burrows his face into the pillow. "I know.", he mumbles, voice so small Hajime nearly misses it. "But it's hard! And I was the one that tought him the serve spike! It's kind of annoying that he's better at it than I am."  
  
"No, he isn't. You just think that."  
  
Oikawa flops onto is back, letting out a groan.  
  
"Kageyama isn't the real reason you're overworking yourself though, right?", Hajime says, lowering his head and studying the fluffy carpet next to Oikawa's bed. The brunet answers with a sigh. "It's Ushijima, right?"  
  
Oikawa abruptly sits up, hands clenching into fists as he stares at Hajime with a glare. He looks upset, lips set into a tight line. Probably upset at Hajime for saying the truth out loud. He slumps forward after a moment, running a hand through his hair. "I just want my toss to be so good not even Ushijima can spike it."  
  
"But then what's the point? No matter how much you hate him, he's still your teammate. In order to win, he has to be able to spike your tosses."  
  
Oikawa huffs.  
  
"Take Kageyama as an example. After you graduated, his tosses became too hard for his teammates to hit, and they all came to hate him. That's not what you want to happen, right? And then, he met that boy who was able to hit his tosses."  
  
"Are you saying you'll spike my tosses?"  
  
Hajime laughs. "No, I'm not joining the volleyball team. I'm just saying that even though you'd probably like to do all the work yourself, you need to rely on others. In a game, it doesn't matter what your relationship with the other members of the team is, you just need to share your burden with them. A team has six members, you know? You can't win by yourself."  
  
"I know that." Oikawa picks at a loose thread on his knee brace. His head is bowed to Hajime can't see his face clearly, but he's probably frowning.  
  
"Then will you train normally, or will I have to drag you out of the gym every day? For your sake, and the others too. People worry about you, you know."  
  
"I'll stop overworking myself.", Oikawa mumbles. His head whips up suddenly, and he points at Hajime. "But! Promise me you'll play with me sometime."  
  
"That's a strange agreement. But okay, I promise. Even though I'm really out of shape.", Hajime chuckles. He hasn't played volleyball since high school, and he's not sure if he even remembers how to spike.  
  
"That doesn't matter, I'll go easy on you." Oikawa smiles from the first time today, a little tired grin that doesn't quite reach his eyes. But a smile is a smile, and Hajime can't help but smile back. The brunet leans back against the headboard of his bed, staring vacantly at the TV. "..thank you.", he says quietly, not looking at Hajime. "For saying all that."  
  
"I'm glad you understand."  
  
Hajime scoots to sit next to Oikawa, but the brunet is faster, rising onto his knees and hovering over Hajime, legs on either side of Hajime's hips. He wraps his arms around Hajime's neck and rests his forehead on the raven's shoulder, letting out a long sigh. Hajime really doesn't know what to do and he's very taken aback by the action, but he decides on laying his hands on Oikawa's shoulders, tilting his head to rest his cheek against the brunet's temple. Oikawa relaxes against him, breath hot on Hajime's neck, shoulders slumped and legs uncomfortably bent.  
  
"You okay?", Hajime murmurs, running his fingers along the ridge of Oikawa's spine.  
  
Oikawa hums, the sound vibrating against Hajime's neck. "Just.."  
  
"Recharging again?", Hajime smiles at the memory of the afternoon at the cafeteria.  
  
"I'm really tired.", Oikawa whines.  
  
"You should get some sleep then. And have you eaten today? I'll go get you some food."  
  
Hajime moves to get up, but Oikawa is really persistent, clinging to his neck, groaning out "No" muffled by the material of Hajime's T-shirt. The raven falls back onto the bed with a sigh.  
  
"You're so high-maintenance."  
  
He winds his arms around Oikawa's waist, hands slipping under the thin sweater and coming into contact with warm, soft skin. The brunet shudders against him when Hajime starts rubbing circles onto his back, moving his hand up and between his shoulder blades. He raises his head, face so close to Hajime's the raven can see a few light freckles scattered over Oikawa's nose and under his eyes. Hajime runs a finger over the area, smiling at Oikawa's confused expression.  
  
"You have some freckles there.", he says lowly, hand moving over Oikawa's cheekbones and to the back of his head.  
  
"They're there when it's sunny out.", Oikawa replies.  
  
"I never noticed."  
  
"Good. I don't like them."  
  
"Why? I think they're cute."  
  
"Shut up."  
  
Oikawa's frowning again. It makes the skin between his eyebrows crinkle, and his eyes are half-lidded. He's staring down, at a spot between their bodies, so Hajime tilts his chin up, making him look up. Oikawa's expression clears up, and Hajime can study his face closely. He keeps smiling as his thumb touches the corner of the brunet's lips. He watches Oikawa's reaction, and doesn't know if he's glad or disappointed when he doesn't find any.  
  
"Can I kiss you?", he whispers, eyes never leading Oikawa's. The brunet seems to consider this question for a few seconds, and then gives a tiny nod. Even though Hajime got a positive answer, he still waits until Oikawa looks totally sure he wants to do what Hajime asked. He tilts his head forward slightly, finding nothing but confirmation on Oikawa's face, before closing the distance between their faces, their lips meeting.  
  
It's nothing but a light touch of skin on skin. Hajime is being very cautious, and moves to pull back in case Oikawa changed his mind, but the brunet's lips are suddenly on his again, the kiss just as light as the previous one. Hajime holds Oikawa's face in his hands, adding a bit more pressure on Oikawa's mouth, the action still nothing more than a peck. A kiss you'd give someone on the forehead to wish them goodnight.  
  
Oikawa smiles a little, body shifting closer to Hajime's, their noses bumping together in search for a better angle. Hajime parts his lips a little, feeling Oikawa do the same. They breathe into each other's mouths before Hajime takes Oikawa's bottom lip between his teeth gently, pulling at it ever so slightly. He hears Oikawa gasp, and the brunet's fingers tighten on Hajime's shoulders. Oikawa tilts his head further to the side, growing bold and skimming his tongue over Hajime's lower lip. Hajime feels Oikawa's eyelashes graze his cheeks as the brunet closes his eyes, tongue moving further into the raven's mouth. Their tongues slide against each other, and a shiver runs down Hajime's spine at the feeling. Oikawa makes a little breathless noise and moves his head forward in the direction of the kiss, pressing Hajime against the headboard. He breaks the kiss, breathless, and Hajime takes the change to latch his lips onto Oikawa's neck, losing track of his action. Oikawa's breath hitches when Hajime bites the skin between his neck and shoulder, and the raven pulls away as if he's been burned, dropping his hands from Oikawa's face to his rest on his arms, keeping a safe distance between them.  
  
"Was that.. not okay?", he asks, voice a bit husky. "I'm sorry, I should've asked before.."  
  
Oikawa opens his eyes, breathing in and out slowly before looking up at Hajime. "No, it's okay. You didn't do anything bad. It was really nice, actually.." He averts his gaze.  
  
"Then, do you want to continue?"  
  
"I.. Hajime." The use of his first name makes Hajime tense. The tone Oikawa is using is serious, so his name sounds unpleasant like that. The brunet is clenching the fabric of his sweater in his hands. "I need to tell you something important. It's related to what we were doing just now, and.. I'm really really sorry for not saying it earlier." He sucks in a breath and his eyes meet Hajime's again. The raven nods, signaling Oikawa to continue as his eyebrows furrow in worry. "Um.. I. I d-don't like.. sex."  
  
The air is tense between them when Oikawa stutters out those words, looking equally embarrassed and ashamed at saying them. Hajime blinks, his brain, still a bit hazy from the kiss, catching up.  
  
"W-were we about to have sex?"  
  
An intelligent response like always.  
  
Oikawa laughs a little at that. "I- I think it was pretty obvious, right?"  
  
"Oh, well, I don't know."  
  
Oikawa looks like he wants to say more, so Hajime stay quiet, rubbing circles into Oikawa's arm with a thumb.  
  
"I.. I'm sorry for not telling you when we first met or when you asked. I've obviously been leading you on, and.."  
  
Not knowing how to continue, Oikawa pinches his lips together and bows his head. He jumps slightly when Hajime's palm comes into contact with his forehead with a slap.  _"He's ace but I think he'd be interested."_  
  
"I'm so stupid.", Hajime hisses. "Matsukawa told me before we met, I should've realized what it meant. I'm sorry, if I knew I wouldn't do.. what I did.."  
  
"Why are you apologizing?" Oikawa sits back on his heels. "I can't apologize enough, because it's obvious that both of us want to be in a relationship and I can't give you what you want-"  
  
"I don't want sex from you.", Hajime interrupts. Oikawa raises his head again. "I never said that. And sex isn't all there is to a relationship."  
  
"But it's a very important part of it! Being intimate with each other is important."  
  
"We can be intimate without sex." Hajime brings up a hand and rests it on Oikawa's cheek. At least the brunet looks less distressed than he did moments ago. "Not once did I think about sex when I was with you. It's just a detail. I'm okay with the fact that you don't like sex."  
  
Oikawa's face twists and he looks on the edge of crying. Hajime gives him a smile and pulls the brunet against himself, stroking his hair lightly.  
  
"Thank you. For accepting it.", Oikawa mumbles into Hajime's chest.  
  
"Don't be stupid. Do you think I'd want to stop going out with you just because of that?" Hajime presses a kiss on Oikawa's ear. "I just want you to be happy."  
  
Oikawa's arms tighten around Hajime's waist. "You're being too nice to me."  
  
Hajime chuckles. "Is that a bad thing?"  
  
"No. But I'm not used to it."  
  
"Stupid." Hajime pulls away from the hug and flicks Oikawa's forehead lightly. "Everyone is being nice to you. You just don't see it. You need to be more observant."  
  
" Mhm." Oikawa hums, turning in Hajime's arms and leaning his back against the raven's chest. He stares at the still muted TV until Hajime notices the brunet's eyes becoming more and more lidded, in the end only slits.  _Kind of like a cat._  
  
"Get some sleep, idiot. You didn't need to be so stressed by telling me that."  
  
Oikawa head falls onto his shoulder, breath becoming even. Before Hajime can reach for the remote and  unmute the TV, the brunet is fast asleep, warm in his lap, their hands laying on top of each other on Oikawa's thigh.

 

**xxxXxxx**

 

"What is that thing on your face?"  
  
Oikawa turns from the coffee machine to look at Matsukawa who's sitting on the couch and watching him. He flashes his flatmate a grin that's been there since he woke up today, and pours the pancake batter onto a heated pan.  
  
"Is that a smile?", Matsukawa asks incredulously, twisting his body to see better. "Haven't seen that in a while."  
  
He gets no answer, but can practically feel the aura of happiness radiating off Oikawa. He winces. Oikawa is perhaps too happy considering it's nine in the morning.  
  
"And you're humming too? Go be disgustingly happy somewhere else or you might infect me.", Matsukawa grumbles.  
  
"Sorry, I can't help it.", Oikawa sings, flipping a pancake over.  
  
"Seriously, you're acting like a kid at Christmas." Matsukawa moves to the dining table, plopping onto a chair, and takes a sip of coffee. He takes a closer look at Oikawa. Nothing seems to be out of order, except for a strange mark on his neck, the skin tinted red. Matsukawa smirks. "Did something happen with Iwaizumi? Did one of you finally decide to make a move?"  
  
Oikawa blushes. "Well, ye-"  
  
"Oh! Don't tell me you got laid! Although.." Matsukawa rubs his chin with a finger. "I didn't hear anything last night.. But Iwaizumi did leave pretty late.."  
  
"Mattsun!" Oikawa flings a kitchen towel at his flatmate. "It's not like that. Nothing like that happened. We just.."  
  
"Okay, sorry." Matsukawa chuckles. "I won't tease you."  
  
Oikawa sighs. "Well. We. I told him, and he was.. Okay with it? He just brushed it off, like it wasn't a big deal."  
  
Matsukawa nods. "I didn't think it'd be a big deal to him. So are you going out now?"  
  
"W-why are you asking that?"  
  
"Well, that thing over there.." Matsukawa points to Oikawa's neck. "That's because you burned yourself with the straightener, right? So, even though you didn't go all the way, you still did something-"  
  
"Yes, okay, we made out. Jeez, stop discussing my sex life.", Oikawa mumbles. "Not like I have one, but.."  
  
Matsukawa smiles. "I'm not. I'm happy for you." Oikawa's eyes widen. "Honestly, I am. Just.. Don't fuck it up like you did with Ushijima, okay?"  
  
Oikawa's expression completely changes at that. "For the thousandth time, that wasn't my fault!"  
  
"You broke up with him because he wanted to have sex with you and you refused."  
  
Oikawa's hand slams against the kitchen counter. "No, that's wrong. I broke up with him because I refused and he still forced sex onto me."  
  
"That's not what he thinks-"  
  
"I don't care what he thinks! I clearly told him I wasn't interested in sleeping with him." Oikawa huffs. "Anyway, Iwa-chan is okay with that, and he said that he wouldn't stop going out with me just because of that."  
  
Matsukawa rest his forehead against his knuckles. "I see. I'm sorry for upsetting you."  
  
Oikawa gives him a tiny smile. "It's okay. Just.. Don't bring it up if you don't know the whole story, okay?"  
  
"I won't bring it up ever again, if you don't want me to."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Hm."  
  
"So.. How's it going with Makki?", Oikawa says, placing a plate in front of Matsukawa.  
  
"We're still not done talking about you! Don't change the subject!"

 

**xxxXxxx**

 

Hajime's phone rings on a Monday morning almost as soon as he wakes up. He's torn between picking up and throwing his phone into the sink. He wants to do the latter even more when he sees that the number calling him is unknown. But his curiosity and a little bit of worry gives in, and he picks up.  
  
"Hello.", he grunts out, turning off the rice cooker and trying to avoid his little sister, who's chosen the worst possible moment to annoy him.  
  
"Iwa-chan."  
  
It's Oikawa. No doubt about that. Even though his voice sounds kind of strange, no one else uses that nickname. Hajime hopes his sister doesn't find out about it.  
  
"What do you want?", Hajime sighs.  _That was probably too harsh._  "Why are you calling so early? Wait- how did you even get my number? I don't even remember giving it to you."  
  
"Ah, so many questions, you're making me feel dizzy.", Oikawa whines. Hajime thinks he hears a sniff. "Mattsun gave it to me. It was pretty weird when I found out that I didn't have your number, since we're dating now. Anyway, that's beside the point. I'm calling becau-"  
  
" _Wait_!" Hajime suddenly remembers Oikawa's ridiculous contact names. "What am I saved as?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"What do you have my number saved under?"  
  
"Iwa-chan, you're getting completely off the main point."  
  
"No, I want to know." Hajime grins, scooping the cooked rice into bowls.  
  
"…" The line is quiet for a while, and then Hajime hears a long and irritated sigh. _This is gonna be good, if he's that bothered telling me._  "The flexing emoji."  
  
"What the  _fuck_?" Hajime has to hold onto the kitchen counter to keep himself from falling as he laughs.  
  
"Hajime said a bad word!", his sister wails at him.  
  
"The- the flexing  emoji!" Oikawa is obviously trying to defend himself. "It- the first time we met, Makki was like 'come look at these guns', so.."  
  
"Oh my god." Hajime composes himself. "That's the best."  
  
"This whole conversation is completely irrelevant to why I'm calling, Iwa-chan. I'm calling to tell you that we probably won't be able to see each other this week because I'm coming down with something, and-"  
  
"You're sick?"  
  
"Yes." Oikawa sniffles. "But I know you still need pictures for the project, so I will keep you supplied with selfies."  
  
"That won't do." Hajime frowns at the kettle. "I can't have a whole week of selfies. I'm coming over later to see you."  
  
"No, don't come! I don't want you catching it too."  
  
"Then wear a mask, idiot. You're generally shit at taking care of yourself, so it has to be even worse when you're sick. I have to make sure you don't die."  
  
"Aww, Iwa-chan. That's nice of you." Oikawa pauses to sneeze. His voice sounds kind of nasal and raspy. "Okay then, come over."  
  
"Is it bad? So bad you can't go to school?"  
  
Oikawa groans. "I spent all evening throwing up, I didn't sleep all night, and almost blacked out today. And I can't eat anything or I'll throw up again."  
  
Hajime winces sympathetically. "Do you know what it is?"  
  
"I guess it's just a normal flu. Well, I should be okay by the end of the week."  
  
"Right. I'm bringing some medicine and food for you in the afternoon then." Hajime finds himself smiling. When did that happen? "Take care until then. Bye."  
  
"Hm, I'll try my best. Bye, Iwa-chan."  
  
Oikawa hangs up, the beeping tone signaling the end of the call loud against Hajime's ear.  
  
"Was that your girlfriend?", his sister asks him. Hajime refuses to give her breakfast for half an hour.  
  
x  
  
True to his word, Hajime does come over to Oikawa apartment later that day, equiped with a bag full of medicine, DVDs, food from the convenience store plus his camera. He isn't surprised this time when Matsukawa opens the door and lets him, informing him that Oikawa is either in his room or in the bathroom. Hajime hopes he doesn't find him in the bathroom.  
  
He finds him in the bathroom. Thankfully, Oikawa has already finished being sick and is just kind of leaning against the toilet, sitting on the cold tile floor. He's even so nice he closed the door before getting down to business. Hajime raps on the door lightly before letting himself in, finding Oikawa in the previously described position, dressed in flannel pyjama pants and a hoodie and looking awful and miserable with unkempt hair sticking up in every possible direction, complexion pale and eyes sunken.  
  
"Iwa-chan.", he greets weakly, pulling a surgical mask that's hanging around his neck back onto his mouth and lifting himself off the ground, nearly falling back down in the process. Hajime steadies him and wordlessly leads him back to his bedroom, fluffing up the pillows and helping Oikawa lie down.  
  
"Did you eat anything?", Hajime asks him, sitting on the edge of the bed.  
  
"I think I had a piece of bread earlier. But.. Don't talk about food now, please.", Oikawa croaks, settling onto the bed and pulling the sheets up to his chin. Hajime nods.  
  
"I'll go make you some tea."  
  
The two of them spend the rest of the afternoon by lounging on the bed and watching films on Hajime's laptop. Oikawa falls asleep a couple of times, jerking awake and apologizing. Hajime turns off the laptop after the fifth time Oikawa's head falls onto his shoulder and him in, leaving for the day after having a short talk with Matsukawa, because apparently that boy is just as clueless about taking care of someone as Oikawa is.  
  
x  
  
On Tuesday, Hajime meets Kenma on campus and receives some printouts from the blond, instructed to give them to Oikawa. He does so straight his classes are over. Oikawa doesn't seem any better. Hajime forces him to eat some plain rice and drink half a pot of tea along with his medicine. He also has to physically pull a pair of socks on Oikawa's feet, because the brunet is so stupid he's not wearing any. Hajime stays later than he did yesterday, sitting on the bed with Oikawa's head in his lap and laptop on his knees until late evening. He's almost tempted to stay over, but doesn't. He tells himself the reason is because he doesn't want to catch Oikawa's flu.  
  
x  
  
Wednesday passes slowly, because Hajime doesn't have time to go see Oikawa due to babysitting his sister. He receives a shit ton of selfies from Oikawa throughout the day, and while sending angry texts to Oikawa after each one, he still saves all of them. His sister asks him who the pretty boy in the pictures is. Hajime is very stubborn about the answer.  
  
x  
  
By Thursday, Oikawa seems better, and texts Hajime if he can go over to his place since Matsukawa is going out. Hajime reluctantly agrees. His parents are gone until the weekend, and his sister said something about having a sleepover with her friend.  
  
He meets Oikawa outside the apartment complex just a little past two in the afternoon. The brunet looks a bit more alive, but his eyes are still glazed over and his shoulders are slumped. He greets Hajime from under his mask, black like his entire outfit, save for the white T-shirt and a plaid shirt wrapped around his waist. Hajime jokingly asks him if he's going to a funeral. Oikawa replies that his clothes are reflecting his mood.  
  
The walk to Hajime's house isn't too long. He actually lives closer to Oikawa than he thought. As soon as he unlocks the door, his sister comes yelling from her room, hugging Hajime around the waist and then getting flustered when she notices Oikawa. The brunet waves at her and then takes of his mask, because that seems to make the girl a bit nervous.  
  
Hajime leaves the house after a while because the fridge is completely empty. He feels a bit wary doing so, but Oikawa reassures him he won't harm his sister. Hajime is more worried that his sister will harm Oikawa.  
  
He comes back about twenty minutes later, and finds the house quiet, save for music playing in the background. Either both of them are already dead or his sister is sulking in her room. Neither of these theories are true, because Oikawa and his sister are sitting at the kotatsu in the living room. The girl is holding one of Oikawa's hands in her own, his fingers stretched out, and she's painting his nails with a look of extreme concentration on her face.  
  
"Ah, Hajime!", Oikawa shouts when he notices the raven standing in the doorway. Although the use of his first name is a bit of an unexpected shock, he still thanks Oikawa for not calling him by that ridiculous nickname - he even told Oikawa not to in case his sister was around.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
Oikawa holds up his other hand, all five nails painted black, and wiggles his fingers. "Your sister said that you never let her paint her nails, so.. "  
  
"Tooru-chan looks pretty, doesn't he?", Hajime's sister exclaims, pausing to look up from her masterpiece.  
  
"Y-yeah..", Hajime stutters out. Oikawa grins at him. "I brought the milk bread you wanted." He takes the package out of the plastic bag he's holding.  
  
"Don't throw it! I'll mess up my nails."  
  
Oikawa's voice cracks in the middle of the last word which makes the sentence even more hilarious, and then sneezes into his elbow. He pulls his mask back on with a grunt. Hajime settles onto the floor next to the brunet and takes his free hand, holding it up to his face and inspecting the nails.  
  
"You know, that actually doesn't look bad. I mean, you do look like a K-pop star, but.." Hajime chuckles. "If Yachi ever asks you to model in a skirt again, have her paint your nails too so the look is complete."  
  
"I want to see Tooru-chan is a skirt!"  
  
Hajime grins at his sister. "I'll show you some pictures later."  
  
"No, don't! I bet they're all from weird pervy angles."  
  
"How can they be pervy? You don't even have boobs."  
  
"Crossdressing is unsuitable for small children!"  
  
"Don't worry, Oikawa. The pictures all look very professional. I bet not everyone who sees them will notice you're a guy."

 

**xxxXxxx**

 

"Where is this picture from?"  
  
"The mall, you idiot."  
  
"Why am I wearing a snapback?"  
  
"You wanted to try it on."  
  
"I don't wear snapbacks! This is definitely photoshopped."  
  
It's a Sunday morning, the last day of Hajime's project. Him, Oikawa, Matsukawa and Hanamaki are sprawled across the sofa and floor of the apartment, half watching TV and half laughing at stupid jokes Hanamaki is reading off the Internet. Hajime is trying to focus on choosing the pictures for the project's portfolio with Oikawa's help, but truth to be told, they're not really into it.  
  
"And the Lord said unto John 'come forth and you will receive eternal life. But John came fifth, and won a toaster."  
  
Oikawa bends over, forehead nearly colliding with Hajime's shoulder as he howls with laughter. To be honest, he doesn't really find it that funny, but he might be just a little bit tipsy because what's a Sunday morning without a bit of alcohol.  
  
"Focus.", Hajime nudges him, bit he's stifling laughter as well. "Pick one. Which one is better?"  
  
"Hmm." Oikawa peers at the screen, eyes squinting a bit and flitting between the two pictures Hajime is pointing at. "This one, I think. The light is better."  
  
"How do you know? I'm the professional photographer here!"  
  
Maybe Hajime is a bit drunk too.  
  
Oikawa scoffs. "Yes, you're so professional you need help on deciding which picture looks better."  
  
"Guys, guys! Listen, this one is great." Hanamaki interrupts their bickering, clearing his throat and preparing to read another joke. "A man walks into a zoo. The only animal in the entire zoo is a dog. It's a-" He wheezes with laughter, covering his mouth. "It's a _ shitzu._"  
  
"I am never letting you drink again.", Matsukawa grumbles while the other two giggle at the stupid punchline.  
  
"Okay, so we have two weeks done." Hajime recovers and opens another folder to sort the rest of pictures.  
  
"Are you going to print them?", Oikawa asks.  
  
"Maybe. If the teacher says I can."  
  
"What's green, fuzzy, and if it falls out of a tree, it kills you?"  
  
"I have no fucking idea."  
  
"A pool table."  
  
Oikawa snorts.  
  
"Who the fuck writes these?"  
  
"Hey, guys, do you want to see Oikawa in a skirt?", Hajime sounds, smirking as he clicks on the pictures.  
  
"How many times are you going to bring that up?", Oikawa whines accusingly, and then proceeds to yank the laptop out of Hajime's lap and hug it against his chest.  
  
"Aww, no fair.", Hanamaki pouts. "I wanted to see that."  
  
"Don't worry." Hajime's smirk stays. "The pictures will be on the school website."  
  
"What." Oikawa clutches the laptop tighter. "Delete them. This isn't what I signed up for."  
  
"You didn't sign up for anything." Hajime coaxes the laptop from the brunet's arms. "I'll keep them for blackmail material.  
  
"Well, I definitely didn't sign up for having such a horrible, horrible boyfriend." Oikawa sticks his tongue out but lets go of the computer and turns his back to Hajime.  
  
"No, wait, I still need you to choose the rest of the pictures."  
  
Hajime sets his hands on Oikawa's shoulders, trying to turn him back around. The brunet stubbornly keeps sulking, so Hajime leans in close and presses a kiss against his neck.  
  
"Woah there, too much PDA!", Matsukawa says, reaching to jokingly cover Hanamaki's eyes.  
  
"How dare you try to win me over with affection?" Oikawa cranes his neck to look at Hajime, a mocking glare on his face. Hajime smiles at him and sneaks a quick kiss onto the brunet's lips when the other two aren't looking.  
  
"What did I just say?"  
  
Maybe they were looking after all.

**Author's Note:**

> yeeeah so.. idk  
> some notes:  
> > Spasiba was Lev  
> > I researched those jokes and wrote the worst ones  
> > I got lost in the plot of this stupid thing so it probably makes no sense  
> Also, I want to thank my friend who gave me kissing advice (if you're reading this, you know who you are)  
> Thank you so much for reading, kudos and comments and appreciated c:  
> my [tumblr](http://dtagustd.tumblr.com/) and my [twitter](https://twitter.com/lizhythova) , come scream at me


End file.
